Can donating blood benefit the donor’s health? Study suggests it does

A study published in May in the journal Blood , published by the American Society of Hematology (ASH), in the United States, identified potentially beneficial genetic mutations in the blood of people who donate blood very frequently. These changes, the study suggests, could protect against certain types of cancer.

According to the authors, there is a lack of research into mutations resulting from the production of new cells to replace those lost in donations. Red blood cells are normally renewed three times a year. Donation means extra stress on the production of blood cells, known as hematopoiesis. In a healthy process, the cells produced are diverse, with different characteristics and functions.

However, sometimes a failure occurs that leads to the formation of clones, that is, cells that are identical to each other. This is called clonal hematopoiesis, a phenomenon that is more common with aging. Some genetic mutations predispose clones to acquire malignant characteristics, which can give rise to cells involved in leukemia, for example.

To assess the presence of clonal hematopoiesis, researchers at the Francis Crick Institute in the United Kingdom analyzed blood samples from 217 men who had donated blood about three times a year over 40 years, totaling at least 100 donations, and compared them with 212 volunteers who had either sporadically donated or had never donated.

There was no difference in the frequency of this process, but differences were identified between the types of mutations found in each group: in frequent donors, these changes may be protective against diseases such as leukemia.

Furthermore, scientists also noticed a difference in the way each group of cells reacted in the presence of two substances naturally present in the human body, erythropoietin and interferon gamma.

Erythropoietin is a hormone secreted when it is necessary to increase blood production (for example, after a donation). Interferon gamma is a protein that is increased in situations of inflammation, such as those that predispose to the development of cancer.

When stimulated by erythropoietin, cells from repeat donors developed more clones with benign mutations in a specific gene analyzed. Cells from sporadic donors, when exposed to interferon gamma, tended to produce premalignant clones more frequently.

More studies are needed

According to hematologist Ana Carolina Vieira Lima, from the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in Goiânia, caution is needed when drawing conclusions about these results. “There may actually be some benefit related to anticancer protection in people who donate blood frequently, but it cannot yet be said for sure,” she ponders.

One point to note is that the British study took place in vitro , meaning the cells were studied outside the human body. “The behavior of cells in laboratory flasks is not always the same as their behavior in a living organism,” notes Lima.

The doctor also points out that there are eligibility criteria for blood donation that aim to ensure the safety of both the donor and the recipient. “It can be dangerous to encourage everyone to be a frequent blood donor based on a potential benefit to themselves, without warning about possible undesirable effects of repeated donation, such as anemia, bruising, puncture injuries, among others,” she highlights.

Donating blood thinking only of your own benefits can also put other people at risk. “Donors should keep in mind that if they are not in full condition to donate (if they are not honest during screening, for example), they may be putting themselves and the recipient at risk,” warns the Einstein doctor.

Who can donate?

Donating blood saves lives, but it is essential that the donor answers honestly during the screening. One should never donate with the aim of being tested for diseases such as HIV or hepatitis, as some infections require an immunological window period to be detected and can be transmitted even with an initially negative result.

To donate, you must be in good health, be between 16 and 69 years old, weigh at least 50 kilos and be well fed and rested on the day of donation, according to the guidelines of Pró-Sangue Hemocentro de São Paulo.

Some health conditions and specific situations temporarily or permanently prevent blood donation. Temporary impediments include pregnancy, postpartum and breastfeeding, as well as symptoms of flu, cold or infections such as dengue fever.

Recent procedures such as tattoos, permanent makeup, piercings, acupuncture, endoscopies or dental surgeries also require a waiting period before donating. The same goes for people who have recently been vaccinated or visited areas where diseases such as malaria and yellow fever are endemic.

Definitive impediments include cases of hepatitis after the age of 11, diagnosis of blood-borne diseases — such as hepatitis B and C, HIV or Chagas disease —, as well as the use of illicit injectable drugs.

The interval between blood donations varies according to gender: men can donate every 60 days, with a limit of up to four donations per year; women must respect an interval of 90 days, and can donate up to three times per year.

Source: Einstein Agency

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