Blood donation is a voluntary process that can save numerous lives for accident victims, cancer patients, pregnant women and others. Any donor who is willing to donate blood must meet the following requirements;
- The donor should not suffer from any transmittable diseases
- The acceptable age for donation should be between 18-60 years with a minimum weight of 50Kg
- The minimum Haemoglobin level should be 12.5%
- The time gap between two donations should be 3 months
Once the requirements are met, any donor can donate up to 350 millilitres (ml) of blood. Although donating blood is a safe way to save people, it can lead to some side effects such as fatigue or anaemia.
By following some tips, these side effects can be minimized and ensures a smooth blood donation process.
- The donor should eat regularly before donating to keep the blood sugar levels stable.
- Foods that are high in fat should be skipped since they can interfere with the blood testing process, rendering the blood unusable.
- It is also important to drink around 500 ml of water immediately before donation. This will prevent a drop in blood pressure during donation and thus avoiding getting unconscious or dizzy.
- Alcohol should be avoided at least 24 hours before giving blood since it produces dehydration.
- It is necessary to avoid vigorous exercises before and after donating blood.
- Resting the body helps to replenish the fluids that are lost during donation.
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