Excess stored iron can lead to health complications including insulin resistance and cardiometabolic problems. Excess stored iron may also be removed through blood donations. Researchers in Spain randomized 89 overweight (BMI>25 kg/m2) and hypercholesterolemic (190 mg/dL) but otherwise healthily blood donors with normal iron stores (median age, 55 years; 34% female) to a standard whole blood donation (n=45; 450 mL blood withdrawn) or a simulated blood donation (n=44; 6 mL blood withdrawn). After two weeks, the change from baseline for both ferritin and hemoglobin was still within the normal range, but a greater decline in the whole donation group compared to the simulated donation was observed (-21.6 µg/mL and -1.06 g/dL, respectively). In addition, glucose and insulin plasma concentrations decreased in the whole donation group but not in the simulated group. Fat oxidation only decreased in the whole donation group, but no significant changes were observed in circulating lipids or triglycerides. Further research is needed to determine whether regular blood donations may improve the long-term cardiometabolic health of individuals.
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