Question: I am an avid blood donor because I think it is a nice thing to do for others. When I was giving blood recently a guy sitting next to me said that blood donations are heart healthy. Is this true?

Dr. Hibberd's answer:
A reputed journal published that there is a “Possible association of a reduction in cardiovascular events with blood donation." Several recent findings lend support to the possibility that iron levels play a role. Each time you give blood, you remove some of the iron it contains. High blood iron levels, can increase the risk of heart disease. Iron has been shown to speed the oxidation of cholesterol, a process thought to increase the damage to arteries that ultimately leads to cardiovascular disease. It must be kept in mind that these findings are of small studies and larger controlled studies are needed to establish a firm association between blood donation and heart health.