Tejas M (25), an IT professional from Bengaluru donated one unit of his blood to his uncle who was undergoing an open-heart surgery earlier this month. “I felt purposeful after the act,” says Tejas, who started donating blood when he was in college. He is aware of the eligibility for blood donation and tries to donate blood at least once a year. This also keeps him fit.
Dr Joyce Elizabeth Regi, a transfusion medicine specialist at Sir HN Reliance Foundation, Mumbai, explains, “Blood donation is a simple 4-step process that includes registration, collection of medical history, physical examination and donation.”
Dr Regi adds that there is a constant gap of two to three million units between the demand and supply. “Even two per cent of the Indian population donating blood regularly can help mitigate the need,” says Dr Regi.
Eligibility criteria for blood donation
Most people can donate blood but are unsure of the checklist. Dr C Shivaram, transfusion medicine specialist, Manipal Hospitals, Bengaluru outlines the checklist:
- Age: People between 18-65 of age are eligible but new donors and platelet blood donors must not be above 60 years of age.
- Weight: Can be 45 kg, but 55 kg is ideal for one unit (450 ml) of blood collection.
- Hemoglobin levels: Must be at least 12.5 gm/dL.
- Heart rate: Must be within the normal range of 60 and 100 beats per minute.
- Temperature: Must be below 99.5 degree fahrenheit or 37.5 degree centigrade.
- Blood pressure: BP must be in the range of 100-140 / 60-90.
- Platelet count: Minimum of 150,000 per microliter of blood.
Those with hypertension can donate blood, if they are on oral medications. These medications must remain constant for 30 days.
Who cannot donate blood
The National Blood Transfusion Council, Government of India outlines those who cannot donate blood.
- People immunised or vaccinated for cholera, typhoid, diptheria, tetanus, plague, gamma globulin in last 15 days and rabies in the last year
- Treated for malaria in the last 3 months
- Had a tattoo/acupuncture in the last year
- People involved in intravenous drug use
- Infected by Hepatitis B, C, tuberculosis, leprosy, HIV, epilepsy, asthma, bleeding disorders, thalassemia, sickle cell anemia or polycythemia vera
- Taking insulin injections
Dr Shivaram adds that pregnant, lactating or menstruating women and people who had cardiac surgery must not donate blood.
Dr Regi cautions blood donors not to smoke 30 minutes before and after blood donation and avoid alcohol at least 12 hours before blood donation.
Types of blood donation
Whole blood donation
Dr Regi explains one unit of whole blood includes red blood cells, platelets and plasma. It can save three lives. “In most hospitals, the blood donated is separated into these three components and used accordingly before expiry,” says Dr Shivaram.
- Red blood cells help replenish blood loss and has a shelf life of 35-42 days.
- Platelets prevent bleeding. Useful in clotting blood for chemotherapy, organ transplant or thrombocytopenia (low platelets issue) with shelf life of five days.
- Plasma also helps in blood clotting and is mostly transfused for liver diseases, burns or severe injuries that have excessive bleeding. Must be frozen within 24 hours and can be used up to a year.
Platelet donation
Six units of whole blood is required to extract one unit of platelet while this type of donation helps in exclusive extraction of 300 ml of platelets from an individual.
Dr Regi explains, while whole blood transfusion is common in general hospitals in rural and urban areas, the demand for platelets is higher with oncology and cancer specialty hospitals.
How often can one donate blood?
While men can donate whole blood in an interval of three months, women must donate at an interval of four months. For platelet donation, a minimum of 72 hours interval is enough, says Dr Regi. But one must not exceed two platelet donations in a month and 24 in a year.
Health benefits of donating blood
While altruism must be the primary driving force for donating blood, blood donation has plethora of health benefits for the donor, explained by experts below:
- The loss of red blood cells during donation stimulates the bone marrow to produce new red blood cells.
- While a one-hour workout four times a week can help one lose more than 600 calories, one unit of blood donated needs 650 calories. “But this does not mean substituting exercise with blood donation,” warns Dr Shivaram.
- A typical platelet donation helps one lose about 200-300 ml of plasma. Plasma contains triglycerides (TGs, or neutral fats), and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) or bad cholesterol. “Although there is no direct evidence, regular blood donors have shown to have lesser LDL compared to new donors or those who don’t donate at all,” says Dr Shivaram.
- The iron hypothesis theory confirms, most men produce surplus iron in the body that can deposit in the blood vessels, liver, or heart, leading to risk of fatty liver or heart diseases. “Donating 450 ml of blood twice a year can reduce cardiac risks or liver issues by at least 80%. This is also linked to lowering the risk of lung, liver, or esophageal cancer,” Dr Shivaram.
- Routine health checkups before donation helps pick up any health issues.
Takeaways
- A single unit of blood can save the lives of three people.
- Whole blood donation and platelet donation are the most common types of donations.
- Though blood donation is altruistic it also has several health benefits for the donor.
