5 benefits of giving blood you may not know about

Blood donation isn’t only beneficial for the recipient. By giving blood, you can save up to three lives while also positively helping your own health.

Here are some ways donating blood can be beneficial to you.

1. Free health screenings

When you show up to give blood, a free mini-health assessment is performed by a trained staff member, the American Red Cross says. Your blood pressure, hemoglobin and pulse are checked and recorded for your records. This brief physical will indicate whether you have high or low blood pressure or anemia. If your initial screening passes the requirements for donating blood, you will then be able to donate your blood.

After donating, your blood is sent to labs for sickle cell trait screening, blood type/Rh testing, and infectious disease testing. The screenings and lab results could provide insights into your health. If a lab result comes back positive for a disease, you will be notified, and your donation will be discarded.

2. Healthier heart

Regular blood donation can improve blood flow. Better blood flow creates a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. It’s also linked to lower blood pressure and a lower risk of heart attacks.

“(Giving blood) definitely helps to reduce cardiovascular risk factors,” said Dr. Robert DeSimone, director of transfusion medicine at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine Center, in a Health Matters article.

“If your hemoglobin is too high, blood donation helps to lower the viscosity of the blood, which has been associated with the formation of blood clots, heart attacks, and stroke,” DeSimone said.

3. Positive health outcomes

It’s the Christian spirit to be generous. When you give to someone, especially when it could change their life, you often feel a sense of purpose, blessing, and even joy.

When you donate a pint of blood, more than one person could benefit. The sense of purpose that comes from volunteering and altruism has been linked to positive health outcomes, such as improved mental health and greater longevity, DeSimone said.

4. Possible detoxification

Our liver helps naturally detoxify our body, but giving blood may help its detoxification potential. Health.com reports that blood donations have been shown to affect the levels of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). These are chemical compounds found in consumer and industrial products like grease-resistant paper and fire-extinguishing foam.

PFASs take a long time to break down and could negatively affect immune systems, development, and reproductive systems, as well as increase the risk of some cancers and obesity.

5. Reminder of our Creator

Finally, by giving blood, we can express gratitude for the Giver of life and even share the Gospel with the individual caring for us during a blood drive.

The Bible teaches that “the life of every creature is its blood” (Leviticus 17:14). When we sacrifice our own blood—our lifeline—to help another or even save another, we can recall that Jesus, too, sacrificed His own blood and life for us out of love. By giving something that has been generously given to us, such as blood (and therefore life), we can be humbled as we remember Christ’s selfless act that made atonement for our sins so that we could have ultimate, eternal life.

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes and is not meant as medical advice. The information is not meant to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health professional.