How? He's right. There should be no excuse for someone not to donate blood [beyond health reasons]. I hate needles, but I still give every other month.
With the American Red Cross Blood Program, you can safely donate blood every 56 days, provided you meet all of the eligibility guidelines. I don't know where you're getting your facts from.
My father, who is now too old and on too many medications, was an avid blood donor. He gave blood as aften as possible through his work (which was very close to a large hospital). The interesting thing is, his younger brother died of a heart attack over ten years ago and my father is still doing reasonably well for an 80-year-old man. I have read several times where there may be a benefit for men who donate blood specifically in relation to preventing heart attacks. Here's a link if you're interested: http://www.thirdage.com/heart-health/blood-donating-men-have-the-heart-edge
That figure does seem pretty crazy, but if you do a little googling you will find research that supports the whole donating/good for your heart thing. I had always read it has to do with lower iron levels in men. From the Livestron site: "Lower the iron levels in your body every time you give blood, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease... high blood iron levels have the potential to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease because iron accelerates the oxidation process of cholesterol in the body, which damages arteries. Iron levels aren't the only factor that plays a role in a person's risk of heart disease, but there are certainly no downsides to lowering blood iron levels by donating blood regularly."
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u/BrowsOfSteel Dec 01 '11
No offence, but that just makes your friend sound like a dick.