Giving blood is a selfless and life-saving endeavour, which is why it is crucial for new donors to replace existing ones who have reached their golden years and are no longer able to donate.

The statistics department reported a drop in new donors in Malaysia between 2020 and 2021, although this could be attributed to the pandemic. This year, however, has seen an increase from about 96,000 to 117,000 new donors, of which the 17-24 age group tops the chart with close to 50,000 first-timers.

This shows that youths, in particular, recognise the importance of blood donation. That said, for each person who decides to donate, there are many others who might be reluctant for a variety of reasons – often owing to misconception or misinformation.

As such, here are six blood-donation myths, dispelled.

1. It will affect your body weight

“I will get fat after donating blood.” “By being a donor, I can lose weight.”

Neither of these statements is true. Seasoned donors will be familiar with the sugary tidbit or sweet beverage that is offered following their donation, as it is important to hydrate and refuel with a high-sugar snack to help replace the loss of fluid. The good news is, the consumption of these items will not make a dent in your weight.

Some centres also offer iron and vitamin supplements to donors, sparking concern that these could cause an increase or decrease in appetite, in turn promoting weight gain or loss.

According to the National Blood Centre, this, too, is false – if anything, the process of donating blood will stimulate your body into producing new blood cells, which helps maintain good health.

2. It will expose you to infectious diseases

Another worry people have about blood donation is that it makes them susceptible to infectious diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hep C, and even HIV. Thankfully, these fears are unfounded.

There is only a risk of these being transmitted if the same needle is used by multiple donors. For hygiene purposes, only single-use needles and syringes are used for each blood donation, each of which is immediately discarded after use.

The aseptic technique – that is, aimed at the exclusion of harmful pathogens – is enforced to maintain the sterility and safety of donors and their blood, and to protect both the giver and future recipient from infection.

3. Your blood will be kept for a long time

Some may think that blood has a long shelf life, requiring one to donate only once in a blue moon. This, however, is a myth.

While plasma can be stored for up to three years, donated red blood cells can generally only survive for between 35 and 42 days, and platelets even less, for up to five days. This is why donations need to be done on a continuous basis.

4. It will take up a lot of your time

According to the health ministry’s MyHEALTH portal, there are four simple steps when it comes to blood donation: registration, health screening and testing, blood collection, and rest.

A single session usually takes less than an hour, so don’t worry that the process will keep you from your planned activities for the day – although it is highly recommended you refrain from doing anything too strenuous immediately after your contribution.

Ask your friends or family to tag along so you can keep one another company. As a bonus, they just might be swayed into donating themselves.

5. It will weaken you

“I’m afraid I might faint from loss of blood.”

A healthy adult has approximately 4.5-5.5 litres of blood; when you donate, only 350-450ml will be taken. And then a window of two to three months is required before your next donation to allow your body to regenerate new blood cells, according to MyHEALTH.

A health screening will also be carried out before you are cleared to donate. As this involves a pulse and heart rate check, blood pressure and haemoglobin tests, and body temperature measurement, the procedure generally won’t weaken you unless you have preexisting health conditions.

6. It won’t make a difference

“I’m just one person.” “I can’t magically fill up the blood bank, right? Never mind lah!”

At the end of the day, humans are naturally a little selfish, and many prefer to turn a blind eye and wait for someone else to step up. This sort of thinking has resulted in the considerably low numbers of blood donors in Malaysia, as well as the scarcity of blood supply, which limits related treatments.

One person can make a difference, so instead of asking “why me?”, ask instead: “why NOT me?”

If you’re feeling pumped and would like to donate blood for the first time, click here for some tips. And congratulations, you just might save a life – in fact, each donation is capable of saving up to three, which is reason enough to participate in this selfless activity.

Read more on blood donation statistics in Malaysia via the health ministry’s online portal.