Frequent Blood Donation Linked to Beneficial Genetic Changes

They may develop genetic mutations that could support healthy blood cell production and potentially reduce blood cancer risk.

Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Regular blood donors could be getting more than just the satisfaction of helping others.

People who give blood regularly develop genetic mutations that appear to support healthy blood cell production and potentially reduce the risk of blood cancers, according to new research, offering an unexpected health perk for those who routinely roll up their sleeves.

Genetic Mutations in Blood Cells

As we get older, our body’s cells, including blood cells, naturally accumulate mutations, heightening the risk of diseases like cancer.

In a new study published in Blood, researchers investigated whether regular blood donation might affect this process. The study compared two groups of healthy male donors in their 60s. One group had donated blood more than 100 times over 40 years, while the other had donated only about five times.

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The researchers recruited 217 frequent donors and 212 irregular donors and analyzed the genes of their blood stem cells and mature blood cells.

Compared to irregular donors, frequent blood donors had genetic changes in their blood stem cells linked to decreased risks of leukemia and increased resilience to stress.

In both frequent and non-regular donors, cells had changes in the DNMT3A gene, which is linked to leukemia. But, in frequent blood donors, these gene changes were in different spots than the ones usually seen in leukemia.

To investigate the effects of these gene changes, researchers edited the DNMT3A gene in lab-grown human stem cells. These stem cells either had genetic changes seen in leukemia or the changes seen in frequent donors.

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These cells were grown in two environments: one with erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone that increases after blood donation and stimulates red blood cell production, and another with inflammatory substances that mimic infection.

The cells with mutations common in frequent donors grew well in the EPO environment but poorly in the inflammatory one. The opposite happened with cells carrying cancer-related mutations.

In cancer, chronic inflammation may facilitate tumor growth and worsen cancer prognosis.

The team then transplanted human stem cells with both types of mutations into mice.

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Some of the mice had blood taken and were then given injections of EPO to mimic stress associated with blood donation.

The cells with frequent donor mutations grew normally, producing healthy red blood cells without the cells becoming cancerous. In contrast, the cancer-related mutations caused a significant increase in white blood cells, an indication of inflammation.

When people donate blood, the stem cells in their bone marrow produce new blood cells to replace those lost. The activity of these stem cells is affected by their environmental stressors.

Frequent blood donation or blood loss drives these stem cells to focus on producing healthy new blood cells, reducing the risks of leukemia.

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“Our work is a fascinating example of how our genes interact with the environment and as we age,” Dominique Bonnet, senior study author and group leader of the Haematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute in London stated.

However, she cautioned that the study’s sample size was modest, emphasizing that larger studies are needed to establish definitive links between blood donation and decreased incidences of pre-leukemic mutations.

The team aims to further explore how these different mutations impact the development of leukemia and whether they can be targeted for therapeutic purposes.

The Dual Benefits of Blood Donation

“The need for blood touches nearly all of us whether we realize it or not,” a spokesperson for the American Red Cross told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement.

Volunteer blood donations are irreplaceable for modern medicine, saving countless lives annually, the spokesperson said. A single donation can aid accident victims, patients with cancer, and those undergoing complex surgeries.

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But you’re not just helping someone in need, donating blood can help donors as well.

Some evidence suggests that people who engage in helping behaviors and feel a sense of purpose from helping others are indeed less likely to suffer from various health problems, including heart issues. While the connection between selflessness and heart health isn’t a direct, mechanical link like a medication, engaging in selfless acts often reduces stress—and chronic stress is a major risk factor for heart disease.

Also, selflessness often involves social interaction, which strengthens social bonds. Strong social connections can reduce the risk of heart disease.

“By going to donate blood, you are getting a mini-physical,” Dr. Robert DeSimone, director of transfusion medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, said in a statement.

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According to Red Cross, a donor’s vital signs are recorded in a record, keeping track of a person’s hemoglobin levels, pulse rate, and blood pressure. This can help monitor for health conditions like high blood pressure which can also be shared with the donor’s health care provider.

Beyond that, blood donation can reduce heart disease risk. Regular blood donation is linked to lower blood pressure and a lower risk for heart attacks, DeSimone added.

This correlation exists because high hemoglobin levels can increase blood viscosity associated with blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes. By reducing hemoglobin levels through donation, donors may mitigate their cardiovascular risks.