- cross-posted to:
- collapse@sopuli.xyz
- cross-posted to:
- collapse@sopuli.xyz
A blood supply shortage in the US has reached a “crisis” level, according to the American Red Cross, which says it is the second time in its 150-year history that levels have been this low.
Factors including wildfires and extreme heat have combined to create the current situation, Dr Courtney Lawrence, who works with the American Red Cross, told the BBC.
Supply levels dropped by a quarter just last month. The crisis has struck during summer, when the amount of blood needed by hospitals typically increases.
That is because of an increased number of car accidents and more people spending time outdoors, resulting in more injuries that require blood transfusions, Lawrence said.
Donating blood can slightly reduce your amount of microplastics and PFAS since the blood your body makes to replace the donated blood will not contain those things.
I used to joke that the reason I donated was to reduce the microplastics in my blood. I feel so pleasantly vindicated now.
That’s if you consume non-contaminated fluids and solid foods, right?
Well, those things probably just accumulate in your body over time. So loosing some blood will reduce the concentration, even if you don’t avoid intake.
Though does it accumulate in the bloodstream or somewhere else and the blood contents are just what hasn’t settled somewhere yet?
Good question. I don’t know.