A significant and very important part of the Transfusion Department of the University Hospital Pilsen is the Blood Donor Center, where blood is collected from healthy donors for patients who need transfusions.

Donors who regularly lose blood and iron as a result of blood donation are, in the case of lower hemoglobin values, advised about the need for a varied diet with a focus on foods rich in iron. The main source of iron in the diet is meat, especially offal - liver, heart and spleen, as well as legumes, leafy vegetables, mushrooms and some fruits, or the ferric mineral water Il sano.

We have had Il sano mineral water available to our blood and blood component donors thanks to the support of CHODOVAR spol. s r.o. Chodová Planá for many years.

Therefore, it is a well-known brand for our donors and they really praise its effects. For many donors who eat less meat or are vegetarians, this is a great source of iron.

Heme iron (iron in the lower oxidation form Fe²+), which allows direct absorption in the body, is absolutely crucial for the proper functioning of the human body, especially in the formation of red blood cells and thus ensuring sufficient oxygen in the tissues. Its sufficient intake is necessary for maintaining health, preventing anemia and supporting overall vitality. Due to its better bioavailability, heme iron is particularly useful for people with higher needs - such as blood donors, pregnant women or patients after surgical procedures who need to support the regeneration and formation of new red blood cells.

Blood donations can ideally be made after three months for men, or four months for women. This is approximately how long it takes for the collected red blood cells, which play an irreplaceable role in the body, to be renewed. This renewal primarily depends on the renewal of the red blood pigment hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the body, and in turn on the total supply of iron in the body. And replenishing iron in the body takes several weeks. Its main source is meat, mainly offal, legumes, leafy vegetables, such as spinach, or ferric mineral water, such as Il sano. Hemoglobin and therefore iron are essential in the body for the transfer of oxygen and thus for movement, growth, wound healing and human existence in general.