Plasma has been in high-demand these days as it is used to treat many diseases, including viral infections. Last year, in 2020, the Food and Drug Association requested the COVID-19 recovered people to donate their plasma. It is believed that plasma from a person who has recovered from the coronavirus will have antibodies against the germ. Injecting an infected person with these antibodies will provide the patient with an immunity to better fight against the deadly virus. So, Here we are discussing how is it safe to donate plasma twice a week and if there are any side-effects.
Is it Safe to Donate Plasma Twice a Week
If you are planning to donate your plasma, go through this guide to equip yourself with all the information and details regarding plasma donation before getting the needle.
What is Plasma?
Plasma is a straw-colored, clear liquid and is made up of 93% water. The other 7% of plasma includes water, mineral salts, sugar, hormones, fats, antibodies, enzymes and proteins like albumin, gamma globulin, and antihemophilic factor. Apart from serving as a transporting medium for all the cells, tissues, and organs of your body, blood plasma plays a vital role in blood clotting and fighting diseases.
Are you eligible to Donate Plasma?
Generally, it is required for plasma donors to be 18 to 70 years old in case of a male donor and 20 to 70 years old in case of a female donor. Also, you must weigh at least 50 kg to be able to donate plasma. Next, you have to clear two to three health checkups and tests by the particular organization you are donating blood to. These tests are done to ensure that you are free from any diseases transmittable through plasma and that donating plasma is healthy for your body.
How often can you Donate Plasma?
People often ask, ‘how safe is it to donate plasma twice a week’ as they are reluctant and worried for the health side-effects that might result due to plasma loss. However, it is a big, big myth that you can’t donate plasma once or twice every week. In fact, it is quite healthy to donate plasma two times a week as long as you make sure to keep a gap of good 48 hours in-between two donations.
Since plasma is more than 90% water, it won’t cause any serious harm. There would only be some mild side-effects like fatigue and dizziness. However, you can totally avoid them if you keep yourself well-hydrated. Eating normal daily nutrition, and drinking plenty of water will replenish the small amount of protein removed from your body within 24-48 hours. While this is not the case with full blood donation, you can donate plasma twice a week without facing any major health issues.
Is it safe to Donate Plasma twice a week or not?
Yes! It’s very much safe to donate plasma. You can get the complete information here regarding Is it Safe to Donate Plasma Twice a Week. Plasma is 90% water. Therefore, hydrating your body nicely before and after the duration will replenish the protein loss and you will not have any long-term effects on your body. However, there might be some side-effects like:
The loss of fluid in the form of plasma can cause dehydration in your body. Consequently, you will get a feeling of dizziness, vomiting, sweating, and low blood pressure. This can happen during or after the process of donation. For this reason, it is recommended to drink plenty of liquids right before and right after the donation.
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Allergic reaction
The phlebotomist will use a solution to clean your arm before inserting the needle. If you happen to be allergic to iodine, then you might develop redness, itching, or swelling in your arm.
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Citrate reaction
Citrate is added to your blood plasma during the procedure to prevent the clotting of blood. If you are allergic to citrate, you can experience a tingling sensation around your lips and nose.
You can feel slight swelling or tenderness on the spot of donation on your arm. Apply cold compresses for the first 12 hours of donation and warm compress after that to ease the symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most needed plasma type?
The best and the most needed blood type for plasma donation is AB+ and AB-. These two are universal donor blood groups and plasma extracted from these two can be donated to a patient with any blood group. Plasma donation from Ab blood group is especially needed in emergency situations where there isn’t enough time to test the blood group of the patient.
How long does it take to donate?
The medical procedure of plasma donation takes approximately 40 minutes. Apart from this, you’ll also need to sign some documents and undergo certain tests. All these processes, combined with the medical procedure can take up to 2 hours.
Can diabetics donate plasma?
If you are a diabetic patient, you may or may not be able to donate plasma. It depends on the type and severity of your condition. You must consult a doctor before going ahead to donate plasma.
Does it hurt to donate plasma?
You will only feel a slight prick sensation like a mild bee sting when the needle will be injected in your vein.
What is blood plasma used for?
Plasma donations are used to make 18 different products. Some of the most needed products made of plasma donations are:
- Immunoglobulins, that are special antibodies containing preparations and are used to protect humans against infectious diseases like chickenpox, and tetanus.
- Intragram P is another antibodies containing preparation that is useful in treating and providing immunity for immune deficiency diseases.
- Albumin is used to restore blood volume in case of shocks and burns. It may also be used for patients with kidney or liver failure.
What happens during blood plasma donation?
During plasma donation, blood from one of your arms is drawn and passed through a plasma separation machine where the plasma is collected and the remaining components of the blood including the red blood cells, white blood cells, and hemoglobin are injected back into the same arm.
Takeaway
Donating plasma is mostly safe as long as you take necessary precautions and a good, healthy diet to compensate for the loss. To conclude, it is safe to say that you can donate plasma twice a week. You only need to keep a gap of 48 hours between two donations and drink plenty of liquids. Plasma donations are always in high need in healthcare organisations, so plasma donation is always a good idea because your donation can be used to make someone’s life better. We give a good explanation regarding Is it Safe to Donate Plasma Twice a Week. You can also drop your comment if you want any help or suggestions.