Most people donate blood to help others. But what if frequent donors were also unknowingly enhancing their own blood health? New research suggests that regular blood donation might strengthen your blood system and even lower your risk of blood cancer.
Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute in London studied blood samples from 217 men who had donated blood over 100 times and compared them to 212 men who had donated fewer than 10 times. They published their results in a new study.
In this study, the researchers found frequent donors were more likely to carry mutations in the DNMT3A gene, which plays a key role in blood cell production. While genetic mutations often raise concerns, this particular change appears to be beneficial—especially when it comes to regenerating blood and overall blood health.
Scientists then ran lab experiments using genetically modified human blood stem cells to understand why this mutation was more common in frequent donors. They exposed these cells to erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone released by the body after blood loss to stimulate red blood cell production.
The experiments found that cells carrying the DNMT3A mutation grew 50 percent faster in the presence of EPO than normal blood cells. Essentially, every time a donor gives blood, their body releases a burst of EPO, which favors the growth of these beneficial stem cells—thus promoting better blood health and regeneration.
In another experiment, the scientists mixed the DNMT3A-mutated cells with leukemia-prone cells. Surprisingly, the frequent-donor cells outgrew the cancerous ones, suggesting that regular blood donation might create a selection pressure that strengthens healthy blood stem cells while suppressing harmful ones.
While more research is needed to confirm whether this benefit applies to all donors, the findings open exciting new possibilities for understanding how our bodies adapt to blood loss and regeneration. If it proves true, one of the best ways to fight cancer like blood cancer may turn out to be “donate more blood.”
