Dr. Sunday Bolorunduro, North-Central Coordinator of the National Blood Transfusion Centre, Jos has said that consistent blood donation reduces the risk of various types of cancer.
Speaking on Tuesday, Bolorunduro, said that the risk level of various types of cancers drops with how often one donates blood over the years.
“Blood takes in all the toxins but once you donate blood constantly, your system is devoid of such toxins and that makes the individual less prone to cancers,” he said.
“So aside from the wonderful feelings derived from donating blood to someone in need, the donation has a positive health impact on the donor. Blood donors are the actual beneficiaries in the sense that those who do so regularly have an 88 percent lower risk of heart attacks and 33 percent lower risk of any severe cardiovascular event such as stroke.”
He pointed out that whether an individual donates blood or not, billions of blood cells were formed every day with the same quantity destroyed within 120 days.
“So medically, it is much better to donate than to leave the blood to be naturally destroyed,” he said.
“Once you donate blood, the blood in your system regenerates at a very rapid rate and that makes the individual more athletic. The oxygen carrying capacity also improves, which makes the donor look younger.
“One’s white blood cells also become more effective because the blood in the system becomes new and fresh and this reduces the causes of illness.”
Bolorunduro said that when an individual donates blood, the bone marrow would be simulated to produce more blood and the older blood platelets, which help in blood clotting, would be replaced with younger ones to prevent bleeding.
The expert explained that the implications of not donating blood were adverse in people who have very high viscosity, because such people generate more blood than they actually need.
“This makes the blood very thick and its flow becomes altered; if the blood is not removed or donated, this might lead to a major health challenge.”
He advised that only people who weigh above 50 kilogrammes should donate blood due to the content of blood in the individual’s body mass.
According to Bolorunduro, females can donate blood too.
“It is myth that females cannot donate blood due to their regular monthly menstrual cycle. In fact, females can donate blood thrice a year, while males can donate four times in a year,” he said.
