Did you know that you can get paid for donating plasma? Your body is made up of red and white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Plasma is the largest component of your blood, and it the liquid carries the blood cells and the platelets. The major role of plasma in the body is to regulate blood pressure and carry important nutrients to your body’s different organs.
What is Plasma Made of?
Plasma contains around ninety per cent of water. Plasma also contains enzymes, salts, and antibodies. Two important proteins that are found in plasma are the albumin and fibrinogen. Although plasma is mostly composed of water, the dissolved compounds and nutrients within it appear yellowish.
Why is Plasma Important?
Plasma acts as a carrier for nutrients, proteins, enzymes, and hormones distributed to the different organs of your body. The growth hormones contained in the plasma will help the body grow muscles and bones. Plasma also contains compounds that make blood clot when you are bleeding. Likewise, plasma carries nutrients such as sodium and potassium to help cells function properly. Plasma is also a key factor in maintaining healthy blood pressure. Lastly, plasma carries away waste by-products from cell metabolism.
How Do You Donate Your Plasma?
Plasma donation is similar to blood donation. Your blood will go straight to a collection bag during a blood donation where it is later analyzed in a laboratory. However, with a plasma donation, your blood is drawn from your body and will go through a machine that will extract the plasma from your whole blood. The remaining blood parts will be mixed with a saline solution and will go back to your body. The blood donation process will usually take around 60 to 90 minutes.
Plasma donation is usually a safe process but may have some side effects such as fatigue, dehydration, and dizziness. An average healthy person can donate blood plasma once a month.
How is Donated Plasma Used?
There are a lot of benefits in donating plasma. Doctors may use the donated plasma in treating immune system disorders. Likewise, the clotting factors in plasma may be used to hasten the healing of wounds. Pharmaceutical companies may also use blood plasma in manufacturing different medicines to treat disorders of the immune system and the respiratory system.
Your blood goes through a machine where plasma is separated.
How Much for a Plasma Donation?
The price for plasma donation varies from country to country. In the US, the average payout for plasma donation is around $50. A person is allowed to donate plasma only once a month.
Plasma Donation During COVID-19 Pandemic
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for plasma donors has increased. Likewise, if you are a COVID-19 survivor, your blood plasma is very valuable. If you survived a COVID-19 infection, your blood plasma would contain critical antibodies that may be used by doctors and pharmaceutical companies to create a vaccine or other treatments for COVID-19. There are plasma donation centers that may pay as much as $700 for first-time donors.
