(RxWiki News) Donating blood is a charitable thing to do, but it might also help you out when it comes to your health.
In fact, donating blood can have several beneficial effects for the blood donor. Read on to learn more about how donating blood could benefit your health.
Blood Pressure Benefits
Donating blood has been linked to reduced blood pressure. That benefit appears to be more significant in men, and the connection is seen with regular blood donation.
Lower Heart Attack Risk
If you give blood at least once per year, you may have an 88 percent lower risk of having a heart attack, according to Rasmussen University.
Having lower blood pressure can reduce heart attack risk, but donating blood also removes iron from your body. Having too much iron in your blood can restrict your blood vessels, making your heart attack risk higher.
Free Checkup
When you donate blood, you get a free mini-checkup. Before you even begin the donation, your blood pressure and pulse are taken. That vital sign screening could reveal conditions like atrial fibrillation so you can seek medical care.
After you donate the blood, it gets screened for a variety of infectious diseases to ensure it is safe to give to a recipient. If you have an infectious disease and don't realize it, blood donation could help you find out so you can seek appropriate treatment.
As an added bonus, you get to find out your blood type. That can be useful if you ever need a blood transfusion in the future.
Talk to your doctor about whether donating blood is safe for you.
