is one of the most important fluids in the body, without which life would be unthinkable.
Its main functions are delivering oxygen to all points of the body, transporting nutrients to tissues, removing waste and toxins, transporting hormones, regulating body pH and body temperature.
All of this, we assume, is clear to most average people, but there are some little-known facts about blood that would make for an interesting read.
500 ml of donated blood can save up to three human lives
Donated blood can be separated into its main components, namely erythrocytes, platelets and plasma. All three elements are vital to saving human life. A donated blood bank can be useful both in its complete form and divided into components depending on the needs of the patient and the specific diseases he may have.
There are 4 main types of blood types
Some people may not be aware of the basic blood types and most don't even know their own type. The main blood groups are A, B, AB and 0. Each of the groups has a positive and a negative Rh factor. AB is the universal recipient of red blood cells from the rest, while group zero negative is the universal donor.
It takes 1,200,000 mosquitoes to drain the blood from one human body
A person's blood volume is estimated to make up approximately 7% of body weight. On average, an adult weighs between 65 and 80 kg and contains about 4.7 – 5.5 liters of blood.
There are about 150,000 km of blood vessels in the human body
If we were to tie absolutely all the blood vessels, including the smallest capillaries, they would stretch to the incredible length of approximately 150,000 km. The process of blood circulation is very complex. Tissues are fed through a truly vast and complex network of vessels with an even more impressive number.
During the lifetime of an adult, the heart pumps nearly 1.5 million barrels of blood
This amount is enough to fill 200 oil tankers. The heart pumps about 55-80 ml of blood with each beat. In one day, it pushes out an average of 6-7.5 liters.
It only takes 30 seconds for red blood cells to circulate around the body
Each red blood cell lives for about 4 months. In this short life, it travels an average of 250,000 times the human body.
Plasma is made up of 90% water and accounts for 55% of blood volume
Plasma is a pale yellow mixture composed of water, proteins and s alts. AB-positive plasma can be given to patients of all other types of groups, which usually causes a shortage of this type of blood in blood banks.
Plasma is stored in a frozen state and can be transfused up to one year after its collection.
