Blood Donation Centers

Why Do People Pass Out While Giving Blood?

Blood donation has several benefits for those who have serious injuries and diseases. The Mayo Clinic reports that each blood donation can help up to three people since donor centers divide whole blood into platelets, red blood cells and plasma....

Health Benefits of Blood Donation

Donated blood helps huge amounts of people successfully recover from injury and illness. For those who are willing, and meet the blood donation requirements, the act of donating blood not only provides help to others; it can result in physical and...

AIDS Transfusion Risk

AIDS--acquired immune deficiency syndrome--is the final and most serious stage of HIV disease, an infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. HIV can be transmitted from an infected person to another through sexual contact, use of...

How to Donate a Baby's Cord Blood

Cord blood contains stem cells which, when transplanted into persons with certain diseases, can treat, cure or reduce the symptoms of that disease. If you live in an area with a hospital or banking center that facilitates cord blood donations, you...

Smoking Before Donating Blood

Donating blood is a valuable gift that can save lives. In fact, millions of people in the United States need blood transfusions each year. If you're a smoker, you might worry about whether you can smoke before or after donating blood. Major blood...

How to Donate Cord Blood for Research

Within the blood of your newborn's umbilical cord and placenta are stem cells. Banking this cord blood can allow for future use as an alternative to bone marrow transplants, the treatment of some cancers, immunodeficiencies, metabolic disorders...

Tips for Racing After a Blood Donation

When you give blood, you can have the satisfaction of knowing you helped another individual. According to the American Red Cross, every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood and by donating you can help save the lives of three...

Exercising & Giving Blood

In a medical emergency, the most critical element is blood availability. By donating blood, you could help save the life of a trauma victim, cancer patient, surgery patient or premature baby. While donating blood is safe and typically doesn't...

The Best Foods to Eat After You Give Blood

Giving blood is a potentially life-saving act that helps trauma and surgical patients maintain healthy blood levels. While the donor process only uses qualified individuals and investigated practices, you can experience side effects like...

Running After Giving Blood

When you give blood, you are saving lives. According to the American Red Cross, every two seconds someone in America needs blood and 38,000 blood donations are needed daily. Evidence also suggests giving blood may improve your own cardiovascular...

Why Do You Get Food & Drink After Giving Blood?

A bite to eat and refreshing drink are an important part of your recovery after you donate blood. That light meal may be a small token, but it accomplishes several important tasks. It keeps you sitting still, mitigates the light-headedness you can...

Can I Work Out After Giving Blood?

Not only does donating blood help doctors and hospitals save lives, it may also help you improve your own health. Frequent blood donation may reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease, reports Florida Blood Services....

Important Facts About Blood Banks

Blood banks collect and store blood so hospitals and emergency personnel can give sick or injured people blood transfusions. The blood comes from donors, most of whom are volunteers. The blood bank staff tests the blood for type and makes sure it...

AIDS & HIV Facts

Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, weakens patients' immune systems. MedlinePlus says that even though HIV patients may not have symptoms for up to 10 years after initial infection, they can pass the virus to other people. When HIV progresses...

Working Out After Giving Blood

Giving blood is a great way to give back and it doesn't cost you a cent, just a little time. The whole process of giving blood only takes about an hour. You do have to meet certain requirements to give blood, such as weighing over 110 lbs. After...

Can You Drink Coffee and Donate Blood?

When you donate blood, you have to ensure you comply with the guidelines of the blood donation organization, some of which involve coffee or caffeine consumption. If you want to donate blood, contact the blood donation organization before you do...

Can You Drink Coffee Before Donating Blood?

The American Red Cross explains that a single pint of donated blood can help as many as three individuals in a health crisis. The need for donated blood is generally continuous and increases in the event of a natural disaster. Over 38,000...

Giving Blood FAQ

Giving blood can save someone's life and it might also extend your own. Donated blood is needed for transfusions when patients suffer traumatic blood loss or need blood replaced for medical reasons. Blood comes in several types and not all of them...

Can You Drink Caffeine While Giving Blood?

Certain medications make you ineligible to give blood. Caffeine is a drug, but it does not make you ineligible to give blood if you have it in your system at donation time. Donation sites recommend against consuming caffeine before making your...

After Losing Blood, What Foods Can I Eat That Are High in Iron?

Its takes an average of eight weeks to replenish iron levels after losing or donating blood, according to the Foundation for America's Blood Centers. A variety of supplements and foods provide iron that your body can use to restore healthy levels...

Bone Marrow Donor Procedures

Donating bone marrow is a confidential procedure that carefully selects the best donor match for a patient. The steps and requirements to donating are for the health and safety of the patient and donor. According to the 2010 statistics published...

What Happens If You Go to the Gym After Donating Blood?

When you donate blood, you could be saving a life. The blood-donation process takes five to 10 minutes, but it could make a big impact for someone whose life depends on that blood. After you've donated blood, you might be anxious to return to your...

Is It Safe to Donate Blood While Breastfeeding?

Donating blood is a safe and fulfilling way to give community service and assist in saving lives. The American Red Cross states that one person's blood donation can save up to three individuals' lives. All donors must meet the eligibility...

Antigen & Antibody HIV Testing Types

HIV testing remains an integral part of public health efforts to control the spread of HIV/AIDS and provide early treatment for people with the illness. Different types of HIV tests detect HIV antigens or antibodies. An HIV antigen is a component...

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