Donor Health & Wellness
Blood plays a vital role in a person's health. Certain blood related conditions or medications may restrict your ability to give blood.
Conditions that Affect Donation
Anemia or iron poor blood is a condition where there
aren't enough healthy red blood cells in the body to carry
sufficient amounts of oxygen to the tissues. Hemoglobin is a
protein in red blood cells that contains iron. If you lose too many
red blood cells, destroy them before they are replaced or produce
cells that are unhealthy, you can end up experiencing symptoms of
Iron is necessary in building the proteins of red
blood cells and is required for producing energy from food. It is
an important factor in every activity your body performs. Iron in
the hemoglobin molecule also helps carry carbon dioxide back to the
lungs for removal.
Hematocrit is the proportion of your total blood
volume that is composed of red blood cells. The ratio of red blood
cells to the total blood volume is normally about 45 percent for
men and 40 percent for women. CBC requires the ratio to be 38
percent red blood cells for you to donate.
A low hematocrit level could be caused by a diet low
in iron-rich foods, blood loss, pregnancy or another medical
What if I'm not allowed to donate because my
"crit" is too low?
- Wait about four weeks before you try again to
- Try adding "crit friendly" foods to your diet.
You can improve your iron and hemoglobin levels by
including more high-iron foods in your diet and avoiding substances
that reduce iron absorption.
There are two types of iron - heme iron and non-heme
iron. Heme iron, which is found in meat, fish and poultry, is much
better absorbed than the non-heme iron, which is found primarily in
fruits, vegetables, dried beans, nuts and grain products. When you
eat the two together the non-heme iron is better absorbed. Foods
high in vitamin C, like tomatoes, citrus fruits and red, yellow and
orange peppers, can also help with the absorption of non-heme
- Nuts - Almonds and peanuts.
- Fruit - Apricots, currants, dates, oranges, prunes,
- Vegetables - Asparagus, cabbage, cucumbers,
cauliflower, celery, cooked greens, lettuce peppers, peas,
potatoes, radishes, tomatoes, turnips, mushrooms and spinach.
- Meats - Beef, duck, goose, lamb and liver.
- Other foods - Bran, beans, brown bread, egg yolks,
oatmeal, oysters, soy beans, whole wheat, molasses and corn
Avoiding iron busters, which are foods or substances that may
reduce the absorption of iron by your body when consumed at the
same time, is also important in boosting your iron level.
- Caffeinated beverages.
- An excess of high fiber foods.
- Some medications like antacids or phosphate
- High calcium foods.
If you were temporarily deferred from donating blood
because of your hemoglobin level, you may have low iron stores, and
you are not alone. The majority of people who are deferred from
donating blood are deferred for this reason. Hemoglobin levels can
fluctuate daily, so we encourage you to follow the tips above to
boost your hemoglobin and schedule another appointment soon.
Other Blood Related Conditions
Your blood pressure is the force of blood pushing
against your blood vessel walls. When you have high blood pressure,
the pressure in your arteries is elevated. One in four adults
(about 50 million Americans) has high blood pressure. When
untreated, it can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, so it is
often called the "silent killer." The only way to tell if you have
high blood pressure is to get it checked regularly.
To learn more about Blood Pressure, click here.
Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like waxy substance found
in the bloodstream and in all your body's cells. Everyone has
cholesterol in their body. It is important for the production of
cells and some hormones and helps with other bodily functions.
Your body makes all of the cholesterol it needs, but
it also gets cholesterol from foods. If you have too much
cholesterol in your blood, your body can't get rid of it and it can
build up in your arteries. Then, you could be at risk for heart
disease or stroke.
To learn more about Cholesterol, click here.