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High cholesterol? Donating blood may help.
By Isabell Tenorio — Written on Jul 17, 2020
People with high cholesterol can lower their levels temporarily by donating blood, according to the findings of a published medical study based on the lipid profile of regular donors conducted in 2013.
How does blood donation lower cholesterol?
When a person donates blood, it lowers LDL cholesterol and lipids due to the loss of blood volume, which dilutes the overall levels of the body.
Donating blood, especially during this time of the pandemic, is important.
There are those who are in need of blood after a bad accident or need it because of their illness.
No matter the reason, one should do their part to give blood when they have the opportunity.
What is high cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance, also known as a lipid, in the blood that is needed for the body to build healthy cells.
It’s non-threatening until it starts to increase, which then can build up in the blood and cause difficulties in blood flow, forming a blood clot and causing a heart attack or stroke.
As scary as it sounds, high cholesterol can be treated and isn’t fatal once you follow a regular diet and lifestyle. And studies show that donating blood regularly can help lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
According to this study, they looked at 82 participants with 52 of them being regular blood donors and 30 of them non-donors.
Experts say that donating on a regular basis will lower cholesterol levels.
How was the study performed revealing that blood donation could improve high cholesterol levels.
Participants had 10 mL of venous blood drawn from each of them, which was transferred into tubes and left to stand in room temperature until it clotted and retracted.
After this part of the experiment, the serum was separated and transferred into cryotubes then aliquoted and stored at -72 degrees celsius.
The results of the experiment were that “Markers of increased cardiovascular risk appear to be lower in regular blood donors compared with non-donors as reflected by significantly lower total cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) levels.
Although HDL (high-density lipoprotein) appears to be significantly higher in the non-donor population, the LDL/HDL ratio – which is a better predictor of increased cardiovascular risk – is lower in regular blood donors.”
Meaning those who regularly donated blood showed signs of low cardiovascular risk along with low total cholesterol and LDL levels.
How long before cholesterol levels rise?
While following a healthy lifestyle and diet, those who have high cholesterol levels are recommended to donate regularly.
Regular blood donation not only lowers your high cholesterol but it also helps to maintain healthy blood flow.
Doctors recommend one should donate blood every 56 days up to six times a year.
Because of this, your cholesterol levels might rise after the 56 days are finished. So make sure to go donate if you are free of illness.
What are other benefits donating blood may have to cholesterol levels?
Other benefits that help cholesterol levels include a cholesterol reading, a check for blood pressure, healthy pulse, and iron count.
Regularly donating blood can also help blood flow leading to fewer arterial blocking and can reveal undetected health issues in its early stages.
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Isabell Tenorio is a YourTango who writes about health, love and relationships.