- In honor of World Blood Donation Day,
we wanna get people out there and donating blood.
So let's answer all of your questions about blood.
And huge thank you to Abbott for sponsoring this video.
How much blood is in the human body?
Well, this is cool because you can do a comparison here.
A newborn baby has about a cup of blood in their body
versus an adult, like an average size adult,
will have 1.2 to 1.5 gallons of blood.
That makes up actually 10%
of your entire weight of your body.
How cool is that?
Geo Mulligan.
How does the body make blood?
Well, blood cells are actually made in your bones.
I mean, no one believes when I say that,
but within your bones,
there's something known as bone marrow,
which is that spongy material
that blood cells actually come from.
In fact, it produces 95% of all of your blood.
Blood, I don't know why I say blood weird sometimes.
Devin Washington.
Should I date someone with the same blood type?
Honestly, Devin, if you are going into such depth
on your first dates where you ask people their blood types,
I'm concerned.
Trigton5800.
What is the best blood type to have?
I don't think that there is a best blood type
because there's too many variables here
but I'll tell you the worst
or maybe the most dangerous, that is Rh null blood type.
It is the rarest blood type in the world.
One in 6 million people have it.
And as a result, if you need a blood transfusion,
you're in deep, deep trouble.
Emily Chen, how long does my blood last?
While platelets last only five days,
whole blood, you can store in a blood bank,
probably around 40, 42 days.
Philip Chang.
My blood type is not rare.
Do I need to donate blood?
Yeah, never say that my blood type isn't needed.
That's not a good thought process
because you never know where there is a shortage.
Give blood irrespective of your blood type.
Garrett I.
Does donating blood hurt?
If I sneeze, sometimes my rib hurts.
So I guess it's subjective.
But like if you squeeze the underside of your arm,
if you pinch it right here,
that's approximately what you're gonna feel
when you feel the needle.
So it's not a big deal at all.
In fact, when you compare the good
that comes from you donating blood
to that small little pinch sensation for a second,
it's just the benefits are so good on this side.
Amy Miller.
How much blood can you lose before you pass out or die?
Pass out is hard because really the reason you pass out
is because your blood pressure drops
or because you don't have enough circulating blood
from blood loss.
If you lose 40 to 50% of your blood,
like you're probably gonna go into cardiac arrest
where your heart stops or your brain fails,
or your other organs fail.
It sounds kind of dark
but that's why we need blood transfusions
so that we can transfuse blood
in order to keep patients alive.
Caleb.
Where does blood/plasma get taken from?
Well, if you're donating and gets taken from you.
Well, I guess more specifically it gets taken
from your inner elbow area.
Hector Guiterrez.
What is plasma?
Sounds like a science experiment, right?
Plasma?
Nerd coming out, sorry.
Plasma is actually just a clear straw-colored liquid
that remains in the blood
once you take out the red blood cells,
white blood cells, platelets and other cellular components.
But it does make up 55% of your blood.
So it's the biggest component
and it contains salt, enzymes, antibodies and even proteins.
Connie Tsu.
What are the requirements to donate blood or plasma?
Well, it depends what kind of donation
you're looking to make.
Plasma, platelets, whole blood.
You usually have to be above the age of 16,
weigh above 110 pounds in most cases.
And again, this will vary state by state
and obviously you have to be in good health
and feeling well.
Dale Gustafson.
Why is donating plasma or blood important?
Because you're helping other people
like you're saving lives.
One blood donation actually helps three other people.
And I know everyone's first thought is trauma,
car accidents, shootings, stabbings, all this stuff.
That's true.
There's also individuals who need it
for other medical conditions.
Think cancer, think COVID-19.
My mom, when she was diagnosed with cancer,
she needed transfusions quite often.
So you're helping so many people
who without your blood would lose their lives
or potentially would suffer.
DannyRO1.
Can I donate if I have tattoos?
Well, if you got your tattoo in a regulated center
and you're in a state that has regulated centers,
you're good, you don't have to wait.
However, if you did get a tattoo in a state
that is not regulated, you should wait three months
after getting that tattoo.
They are gonna ask you all these questions
and give you all the guidance
before you do the donation process anyway.
When you are going to an unregulated facility,
there's always the fear of shared needles.
And in that case,
shared needles can mean shared blood infections
like hepatitis.
Tony F.
How often can I donate blood?
Whole blood, 56 days just like I told you earlier,
platelets every seven days up to 24 times a year.
And if you're doing the AB elite plasma donation,
you can do that every 28 days up to 13 times a year.
I did the math real fast.
Mr. Craig.
How long will my body take to replace what was donated?
Well, plasma is replaced usually in about 24 hours
and red blood cells take about four to six weeks
to fully recover.
Remember, that's why we give you the 56 days
in between whole blood donations.
We want the red blood cells to recover.
Cole Weiss.
Can you still donate blood or plasma
if you've had COVID-19 or the vaccine?
If you've been vaccinated with Pfizer,
Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, you are good to donate.
Don't even think about it.
Just go and donate.
If you've recovered from COVID-19
and it's been 14 days,
and you're feeling great, go ahead and donate.
The only COVID specific circumstance
where you shouldn't be donating
is if you're actively sick within that 14-day period
or you're under a specific quarantine
because you've been exposed to someone who has COVID-19.
In fact, if you've recoveredfrom COVID-19
and it's been more than 14 days,
you may have valuable antibodies in your plasma.
We need those bad boys.
ChauncyChauncy.
Can your blood type change?
No, usually you will have the same blood type
throughout your entire life.
There are instances for example,
if you get a bone marrow transplant,
if you have a type of cancer, it is possible.
It is possible.
But once you find out your blood type, you're good.
Doc G.
Is blood/plasma tested before it gets to recipients?
Absolutely.
I mean, first of all each donor is screened
with a health questionnaire
and then each unit of blood that's donated
here in the United States is routinely screened for diseases
using FDA approved tests.
Debra Soo.
How does the blood/plasma donation process work?
All you literally have to do is show up,
make sure you meet the criteria,
you know, the weight, the age, how often you're doing it,
be in good health, all that good stuff.
They'll get you registered.
Then they'll have you answer some questions,
then boom you'll donate some blood,
then you'll get some refreshments,
maybe a cookie, maybe an OJ.
It sounds like a winning combination to me.
And you get some perks too.
Like finding out your blood type.
Taylor Downs.
What's in it for me?
That's a very forward question.
Well, first of all, like I just said,
you get to find out your blood type.
I think that's pretty cool.
You also get to find out if you have COVID antibodies,
other illnesses.
You also are doing something good for humanity
and that feels good.
Big Cheese.
How can one donation help multiple people?
Well, remember if you give a donation of one pint of blood,
there's different components of that blood
that can help different patients
with different medical problems.
The whole purpose of doing this video
is because we're experiencing a true blood
and plasma shortage.
Less and less people are going to donate
because of the pandemic,
but I assure you it is safe to do so.
There are special precautions being followed
in all of these testing centers
and we desperately need the blood and plasma.
So visit BeThe1Donor.com for more information,
find a local donation center near you and donate some blood,
donate some plasma.
Help three people on your lunch break,
save three lives on your lunch break.
I'm serious, it makes a big difference.
Now that you've become a blood expert, become a twin expert.
Check out the biology lesson I gave
to these adorable two seven-year-olds.
They asked me some tough questions.
And don't forget to visit BeThe1Donor.com
and sign up to donate blood today.
As always, stay happy and healthy.
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