If you’ve never donated blood before, or haven’t recently, what you’ll learn today might make you want to schedule your next blood donation asap! What most people don’t know is that donating blood can actually benefit your health in a very significant way. Certain substances build up in the blood over time, and some can actually cause serious health issues, and increase your risk of almost all major heart problems. How to reduce this risk, what's going on in your blood that makes it such a problem?

In this blog post, we will discuss the link between iron, red blood cells, and high blood viscosity. We will also talk about the benefits of donating blood and how to reduce your risk for stroke and heart attack.

Learn more about conditions we treat: Cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular conditions are (still) the highest cause of death

In the developed world, cardiovascular conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and heart attack remain the leading cause of death for both men and women (1).

Since 2000, the mortality rate of heart disease has more than tripled, suggesting we still don't have a one-size-fits-all, comprehensive treatment to really treat this problem. We do, however, have concrete knowledge about risk factors for cardiovascular diseases—most of which are highly modifiable with early screening, integrative diagnostics, and lifestyle changes. These risk factors include, but aren’t limited to:

Stress
A poor diet
Iron overload
Chronic, low-grade Inflammation
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Metabolic syndrome
High blood viscosity

Integrative testing and early screening measures are key to identify and reduce your individual risk factors for heart disease. It's never too late to start prevention. Get started on your path to improve heart health.

What is high blood viscosity?

Blood viscosity is a measure of how thick or thin your blood is. Viscosity is affected by the number of red blood cells (RBCs) in your blood, as well as by the amount of iron in those cells. High blood viscosity means that your blood is thicker than normal.

Blood viscosity changes in response to several factors, as blood itself responds to various physiological changes. Blood viscosity depends on several factors:

Number of red blood cells present (hematocrit),
Inflammation
Infection
Production and function of red blood cells
Diabetes or poor blood sugar control

High blood viscosity is a risk factor for stroke because it increases the chance of developing blood clots (2). Blood clots can block arteries and cause a stroke. Thick blood is also more likely to cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is a blood clot that forms in the veins of the legs. DVT can be dangerous because it can break off and travel to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism. These are all very serious, and sometimes fatal health problems.

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Thick blood causes a vicious cycle

When blood viscosity is high, it triggers a cycle of other mechanisms in the kidneys to try to compensate. In the process, it actually worsens blood viscosity.

When blood becomes thick (or more viscous), what occurs is a type of vicious cycle. Thicker blood means less fluid passes through the kidneys. The kidneys then increase blood pressure to try to direct more fluid toward them, but this also triggers the release of a type of protein called erythropoietin that thickens blood, and the cycle continues.

Read: Quick Tips for a Healthy Heart

All cardiovascular conditions are associated with thick blood

The idea of “thick blood” has probably never crossed your mind, let alone come up in a doctor’s visit. Despite the well-documented role of high blood viscosity in the development and complication of many diseases, it has been largely “neglected” by mainstream medicine (3).

A high blood viscosity is implicated in heart failure, inflammation, renal failure, and most notably, the pathogenesis of atherothrombosis (3).

The root of all heart problems

Thick blood, iron overload, and other cardiovascular risk factors are likely what connects most—if not all—forms of heart problems. Atherothrombosis, which occurs when artery-clogging plaque breaks off and blocks blood flow, is the leading cause of mortality in the Western world. This type of plaque build-up is a complex process that normally begins relatively early in life and progresses with age, often without symptoms (4).

Later in life, when this atherosclerotic plaque builds up, it can manifest as coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, transient ischaemic attack (TIA), and peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

From an integrative medicine point of view, researchers believe we should approach this disease as a single pathologic entity that affects different vascular territories (4).

You might like: Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease with Integrative Medicine

Thick blood means slow flow—and increased risk of blood clots

Blood viscosity is inversely related to blood flow, which means the thicker the blood, the slower it flows (5).

Clearly, blood viscosity has major control over how your blood behaves. Which is important for things like clotting.

According to one German pathologist, slow blood flow is one of three main factors that greatly increase the risk of thrombosis, which can cause a stroke (4). The remaining two are hypercoagulability (high clotting factors present in blood), and abnormalities in the walls of your blood vessels (such as damage).

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Iron overload and your red blood cells

Iron is an important mineral that our bodies need for many functions. However, too much iron can be toxic. Additionally, one in every 200 people have a condition called hemochromatosis, which causes excessive iron to be stored in the blood. It’s the most common inherited genetic condition in caucasian people, but the vast majority of people who have it are completely unaware (6).

An iron-rich diet, as well as supplemental iron, can support healthy red blood cell function. However, because excessive iron can raise your hematocrit level, you should speak with your doctor about whether or not iron supplementation is right for you. A high hematocrit can increase blood viscosity, sometimes to an unhealthy level (7)

Possible signs you may have too much iron in your blood include (8):

Fatigue or general weakness
Heart flutters or irregular heartbeat
Swollen ankles
Joint pain, similar to arthritis pain
Abdominal pain
Unexplained weight loss

Ask a CentreSpringMD provider about how to evaluate your iron levels, as well as the health of your heart.

Who’s at greatest risk for increased blood viscosity?

Men are more likely than women to have iron overload and a high blood viscosity. This may be due to the obvious factor that men don’t menstruate as women do, naturally releasing a certain amount of both iron and red blood cells each month.

Men are also more likely to have decreased oxygen delivery within blood cells, which may also account for an increased risk of cardiovascular issues (9).

Men of any age should monitor their iron levels, which can be easily performed at your next appointment.

A surprising way to reduce cardiovascular risk

Despite the potentially dire risks of thick blood for your heart and arteries, there is a surprisingly simple way to reduce your risk of heart disease, and your risk factors for other health problems as well.

This simple action? Donating blood.

Benefits of donating blood

We often hear about the benefits of donating blood for the recipient, but rarely for the person who’s donating. Regular blood donation may reduce hematocrit and blood viscosity, and increase oxygen delivery in men (9).

Donating blood can reduce harmful iron stores
You’ll also get a brief physical before you donate (blood tests, infectious diseases, etc.)
It’s a good way to keep an eye on your hematocrit, and hemoglobin levels.
Donating blood can reduce your risk of cardiovascular events, such as a heart attack, by up to 88% (10)
It also reduces blood viscosity if thicker than it should be, which reduces the risk of blood clots.

Men can donate blood more often than women, and it’s even more beneficial to do so. Some recommendations state that men can donate blood as often as every 12 weeks, while women should wait for every 16 (11).

Protect Your Heart with Integrative Medicine

So what can you do to reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems and improve your overall health? Check your iron levels, and ask your doctor if you should donate blood. It’s a simple solution with big benefits—for both you and those in need. Donating blood is one way to make sure that everyone has access to lifesaving treatments in an emergency, and it’s also a great way to make sure that you stay healthy by reducing your risk factors for heart disease and other serious conditions.

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About
the author

CentreSpring MD, formerly known as Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine, provides the best medical care by using an integrative approach to find a patient’s centre—their core—empowering them to spring forth into health.

Blog Reviewed By:

Dr. Taz Bhatia, M.D.

How We're Different

At CentreSpringMD, we do medicine differently. Our focus is on giving you hope and your life back.

Our team of dedicated board-certified providers relentlessly pursue your health until you have the answers that you deserve to change the trajectory of your health—and your life.

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