I wish I could donate blood. I've only donated a few times in my life. In high school I threw shot and discus and lifted a lot of weights and they never had a cuff large enough to get an accurate blood pressure so they didn't let me donate when I was 18. After my muscles atrophied a bit in college I gave a few times then I got hepatitis and adult jaundice in my early 20's. Hepatitis and adult jaundice are lifetime exclusions for donating blood. There is a touch to sticking people. The more practice they get the better they get at it; you always want to get a shot or IV from an older nurse than a younger one. Blood collectors get so much practice they can stick you almost painlessly.
Donating whole blood appears to be good for us. After adjusting for other factors blood donors have less heart disease than non-donors. It is even believed that one of the reasons women experience heart disease later than men is because their monthly blood loss. I don't know if this benefit extends to people who donate plasma instead of whole blood.
It is because blood donations removes excess iron from your body, that is why it is healthy to donate, especially for men as it reduces the number or amount of heart attacks they are likely to get. I gave blood for the first time yesterday, it isn't bad at all and the people drawing the blood is very professional and doesn't hurt you at all.
plasma is used for helping people with weak immune systems. the plasma contains antibodies that some people cant create, so they get injects of the plasma to help their immune systems out. those people need injections all their lives, and im not sure how many times a year, i think maybe once a month maybe twice a month. not sure.
For you? None, specifically unless they pay for it where you live. The plasma is used for research (or was, in Oregon) a friend of mine did that when he was a broke college student to get extra money....
That's good to know, I may have to finally give blood donation a try...even though I hate needles.
