There is power in your blood. About 5 liters of blood is pumped through your body every minute. Blood is a living tissue that flows through thousands of kilometres of blood vessels, delivering oxygen and nutrients to the organs and carrying waste products away. Blood also transports cells, hormones and proteins that regulate many body functions such as fighting infection and controlling blood loss.
Blood is composed of four components.
Plasma (55%)
White blood cells and platelets (<1%)
Red blood cells (41%)
Blood is composed of four components.
Plasma (55%)
White blood cells and platelets (<1%)
Red blood cells (41%)
Transports oxygen and nutrients to the tissues
Regulates body temperature
Carries cells and antibodies that fight infection
Brings waste products to the kidneys and liver, which filter and clean the blood
Prevents excess blood loss by forming blood clot
FROM DIAGNOSING HEALTH PROBLEMS TO TREATING DISEASES, BLOOD IS THE LIFE FORCE OF THE HUMAN BODY.
Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen from your lungs to parts of your body, in addition to removing waste products like carbon dioxide. A low amount of red blood cells indicates anemia, which can result in symptoms like fatigue and feeling short of breath. This can be caused by a number of conditions including blood loss, iron deficiency, and bone marrow diseases.
White blood cells (leukocytes) are part of the body's immune system, attacking bacteria, viruses, and germs that invade the body and cause infections.
A higher-than-normal white blood cell count usually indicates some type of infection or inflammation, while a low amount of white blood cells may be caused by a bone marrow problem, or autoimmune diseases such as lupus.
The smallest of our blood cells, platelets give our blood the ability to clot. Too many platelets can cause spontaneous blood clots in the body which can lead to heart attack and stroke, while too few platelets can cause frequent bruising and bleeding.
REFERENCES:
6 Blood Basics ©2019 by American Society of Hematology. https://www.hematology.org/Patients/Basics/