Table of contents:
- What are the possible side effects of blood donation?
- How to deal with the side effects of blood donation?
- So, how many times should I ideally be allowed to donate blood?
Blood donation according to blood type is proven to have many good health benefits. Unfortunately, the benefits of blood donation may no longer apply if you do it too often. What are the side effects of frequent blood donation?
What are the possible side effects of blood donation?
Running out of blood is not a side effect of blood donation that you need to fear because red blood cells have an extraordinary ability to multiply. Every second there are millions of red blood cells that are lost or die and are immediately replaced with new ones. Even so, too frequent blood donations are also not good for your health.
Donating too often can put you at risk for iron deficiency. The reason is, although red blood cells can be quickly replaced with new ones, this is not the case with iron preparations in the body.
Iron deficiency is a negative impact of blood donation. This condition can make a person feel symptoms, such as:
- Dizzy
- Limp
- Sluggish
- Not powerful
The above symptoms can even lead to decreased hemoglobin and risk of anemia. If this condition is allowed to continue without treatment, it can lead to iron deficiency anemia.
Unfortunately, this side effect of blood donation is rarely realized. Most people think that iron deficiency anemia occurs when your body lacks blood, doesn't eat foods that contain iron, or because you have a history of digestive disorders. In fact, blood donation too often can also trigger this condition.
This is why it is important to pay attention to the frequency of blood donations that you will do. Don't forget to pay attention to your health condition before and after blood donation. Don't let blood donation actually make your health worse.
How to deal with the side effects of blood donation?
You need to consume a source of iron to avoid the side effects of blood donation according to your blood type. The following are good sources of iron for your body:
- Liver (chicken, lamb)
- Sardines
- Beef
- Sheep's meat
- Chicken eggs)
- Duck
- Salmon
- Know hard
- Tempe
- Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and sunflower seeds
- Nuts, especially cashews and almonds
- Whole grain cereals such as oats or muesli, whole wheat bread, brown rice, spinach, and quinoa
- Vegetables such as kale, broccoli, spinach and green beans
In addition, quoted from the Mayo Clinic, you need to take the steps below to avoid the side effects of donating blood:
- Drink more fluids until the next day after donating blood
- If you feel dizzy, lie down with your legs up until you feel better
- Keep the bandage on your arm and wait five hours
- If you experience bleeding after removing the bandage, apply pressure to the area and raise your arm until the bleeding stops
- If bleeding or bruising occurs under the skin, apply a cold compress to the area periodically for 24 hours
- If your arm hurts, take a pain reliever, such as acetaminophen
- Avoid taking aspirin or ibuprofen for the first 24 to 48 hours after a blood donation
Immediately contact the health worker who handles you if you forget to tell about your health condition or if you experience problems after donating.
So, how many times should I ideally be allowed to donate blood?
The average person can donate blood once every 3-4 months a maximum of 5 times in 2 years. The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) also agreed and said that blood donations should be done regularly at least once every three months.
Three months is enough time for a donor to produce new red blood cells. So everyone can donate blood at least 4-5 times a year to avoid bad effects.
Even so, not everyone can donate blood as often as recommended. The reason is, how often a person can donate blood depends on his overall health condition at the time of donation. You can donate blood only if you meet the blood donation requirements that have been determined.
