{"id":26207,"date":"2019-09-03T10:14:24","date_gmt":"2019-09-03T16:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=26207"},"modified":"2023-06-23T10:49:09","modified_gmt":"2023-06-23T16:49:09","slug":"understanding-your-blood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/understanding-your-blood\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding your blood and its importance"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
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Anna is a regular platelet donor at UCHealth Garth Englund Blood Donation Center. Blood is so important for life that blood donations becomes just as important. Photo by UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Coursing just below the surface of your skin is your body\u2019s very own transportation highway: your blood.<\/p>\n

Its brings oxygen and nutrients to cells, allows the brain and organs to communicate, and helps the immune system fend off illness. And one small vial of blood can reveal a lot about your health.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing how much we can test for in just a very small volume of blood,\u201d said Dr. James Hopfenbeck<\/a>, a pathologist at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center<\/a>. \u201cHere at our own lab, we can do 40 different tests using one little vial of blood.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hopfenbeck outlines what you need to know about blood below.<\/p>\n

Understanding the components of blood<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n

Donating blood:<\/strong> Platelets are continuously in high demand in northern Colorado, and the need for all blood donations increase during the holidays and summer months. Blood donations to UCHealth Garth England Blood Donation Centers<\/a> in Fort Collins and Loveland, or via its mobile blood bus, help people in northern Colorado.<\/p>\n

In December<\/strong>, every person who comes in to donate platelets will receive a “Proud Platelet Donor” tumbler to take home.<\/p>\n

Interested donors should call 970.591.4822<\/strong> to schedule an appointment at a blood center or via a mobile drive. Learn more about being a blood donor at uchealth.org.<\/div>\n

Blood has four main components \u2013 red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma.<\/p>\n

Red blood cells<\/em> make up 40 to 45% of blood\u2019s volume and contain hemoglobin, a special protein that helps carry oxygen to your cells and gives your blood its red color. People living at altitude typically have extra red blood cells since the air is thinner.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur body compensates by producing more red blood cells so we have enough oxygen transported to our tissues and organs,\u201d Hopfenbeck said.<\/p>\n

White blood cells<\/em> are key parts of your immune system, identifying and attacking foreign materials such as bacteria and viruses. They make up 1% of your blood volume.<\/p>\n

Platelets<\/em> are fragments of cells that help with clotting. \u201cIf you have a cut or an ulcer, platelets form a plug in the blood vessel to stop your bleeding,\u201d Hopfenbeck said.<\/p>\n

Finally, plasma<\/em> is a mixture of water, sugar, fat, protein and salts, and moves blood cells, platelets, hormones and waste products around the body.<\/p>\n

Understanding blood types<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There are thousands of different subtypes of blood, but only four main groups \u2013 group A, group B, group O and group AB. Your blood type is determined by your genes, and refers to the type of sugar you have on the surface of your red blood cells.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlood type doesn\u2019t have anything to do with your health, but is important to know for transfusions,\u201d Hopfenbeck said. \u201cIf you\u2019re a group A person, then your body naturally produces antibodies to group B antigen. So if you receive group B blood, your body will destroy those cells because they\u2019ll look foreign.\u201d<\/p>\n

People who are in group O are considered universal donors because they don\u2019t have any sugars on the surface of their blood, so their blood is accepted by everyone.<\/p>\n

Keeping your blood healthy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly benefits your blood.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need your basic nutrients, such as iron, folate, vitamin B12 and other vitamins and minerals,\u201d Hopfenbeck said. \u201cAnd exercise changes the blood by stimulating fat metabolism and helping your body use nutrients better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Understanding blood tests<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cWe can measure very small quantities of chemicals in the blood to know whether organs such as your kidneys and liver are functioning well, whether your cholesterol is at the right level and if you have signs of adult-onset diabetes,\u201d Hopfenbeck said. \u201cThese give a snapshot of how the organs are working.\u201d<\/p>\n

For instance, higher-than-normal levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) may be a sign of prostate cancer. Levels of TSH can reflect how well your thyroid is functioning. And a build-up of certain waste products may suggest your kidneys aren\u2019t working well.<\/p>\n

Not only are the tests powerful, picking up tiny amounts of various chemicals, but they\u2019re also often fast.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can get many tests done in 20 minutes,\u201d Hopfenbeck said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This article first appeared in the Steamboat Pilot & Today on Sept. 2, 2019.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Coursing just below the surface of your skin is your body\u2019s very own transportation highway: your blood. Its brings oxygen and nutrients to cells, allows the brain and organs to communicate, and helps the immune system fend off illness. And one small vial of blood can reveal a lot about your health. \u201cIt\u2019s amazing how […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2163,"featured_media":27491,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[1024,2923,9187,2518],"class_list":["post-26207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","tag-blood-disorders-disease-care-hematology","tag-blood-pressure","tag-readysetco","tag-uchealth-yampa-valley-medical-center"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUnderstanding your blood and its importance - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma. 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