Donating Plasma vs. Blood: A Quick Guide
Written by Fiona Nikolla
Conducting drives are essential way to collect a valuable item(s) that strive for a good drive. From a canned food drive to collecting old clothing items, anything can be actively collected for a worthy cause. How about giving something a little more personal? Not any old physical item, but something internal that can be life-changing in the face of someone who desperately needs it. That is right, I am talking about blood/plasma drives that are active in various communities that aim to collect blood and plasma donations to help those in need. Though both are needed in the human body, both produce a substantial quantity in the body regularly. By donating or choosing to participate, it creates the chance for someone else to receive a life-changing donation that can help support different health conditions.
What is the Difference:
Plasma is another aspect of the liquid part of blood that most people overlook. Plasma contains the vital nutrients and other vital substances that often help with keeping a healthy blood pressure and PH balance. Blood on the other hand is more self-explanatory and revolves around the donation of blood platelets containing red and white blood cells, alike. Usually, patients that receive a blood donation usually require it due to blood loss in an injury or surgery. Plasma is often needed in cases of certain diseases including cancer, as well as if they have a certain bleeding disorder. This is because plasma includes an exclusive medicine-like substance known as immunoglobulin (Ig). Immunoglobulin is produced by white blood cells and is known as antibodies: crucial molecules that the body uses to fight off infections and other autoimmune diseases. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount of plasma donations drastically decreased, which puts patients who need the life-changing contribution in a tough position.
Requirements to Donate:
For plasma donations, it is required that any donors must be over the age of eighteen. For blood donations, it is only required that they must be sixteen and have the proper parent/guardian consent. The American Red Cross, the main corporation that is in charge of the set up and donation of these blood samples, has a few requirements before attending a blood or plasma drive. For instance, two cups of water are recommended to ensure your body is receiving a proper amount of fluids beforehand. They also recommend that one stays away from fatty foods and instead eats a meal with loads of iron and protein. More so, this goes hand in hand with getting a decent amount of rest that can also help in overall body regulation. All these steps can be accomplished after donating as well, to limit some of the side effects such as lightheadedness and dizziness.
Donating blood or plasma is a crucial yet generous action that can ultimately help someone who could benefit from receiving it in return. The rejuvenation process of these fluids is proven effective according to Parachute, which claims that since plasma is made up of 90 percent water, it can be replenished at a fast rate allowing for only one day space in between plasma donation periods. Blood donors, however, need to wait for 50 days before they can donate a second portion. Though both donations are out of the generosity of the person, I highly recommend donating blood for the possibility of making an impact on someone who truly needs that life-changing donation.
References
https://www.joinparachute.com/blog/donating-plasma-vs-blood/
Written by Fiona Nikolla from MEDILOQUY