Effect of Blood Donation in the Glycemic Control of Prediabetic Donors: A Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors' conclusion
A single blood donation reduces iron stores and is associated with improvements in surrogate markers of hepatic insulin resistance, decreases markers of liver damage, and enhances early-phase glucose tolerance in overweight individuals with prediabetes.
Study context
- Population
- Overweight habitual blood donors with prediabetes (fasting glucose 100 to 125 mg/dL, HbA1c 5.7 to 6.4%, or 2-hour OGTT glucose 140 to 199 mg/dL)
- Participants
- 38 donors
- Comparison
- Blood donation vs simulated donation
- DONn = 20
- SIMn = 18reference
Methodological detailsdouble-blind
- Double-blind
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Change in ferritin, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, ALT and early-phase OGTT glucose · 2 weeks after intervention
Ferritin decreased significantly only in DON (P < .001)
−25.4 μg mL-1
DON lowered fasting insulin (P = .048)
−1.48 μIU mL-1
DON lowered HOMA-IR (P = .030)
−0.525
DON lowered alanine aminotransferase (P = .005)
−4.25 IU L-1
Further findings
Fasting lipid profile, adipose tissue insulin resistance, carbohydrate oxidation during OGTT
- Did not differ between groups
Original publication
Effect of Blood Donation in the Glycemic Control of Prediabetic Donors: A Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial. Endocr Pract. Published 6 July 2026. doi:10.
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