Cough

The protein that determines the red color of blood. Why is Blood Red? Does Blue Blood exist? Why are veins blue

Why is blood red?

The issue is resolved and closed.

In all vertebrates, the blood has a red color (from bright to dark red), which it owes to hemoglobin contained in specialized cells, erythrocytes.

Red blood cells (erythrocytes) are the most numerous of the formed elements. That is why it is red.

potomu4to eto sasudi v kotoroi krovj nahoditsja ..

Each of us knows that BLOOD is a red liquid that constantly flows in the vessels of the human and animal body. So, to ensure vital activity, a living organism must consume oxygen and release carbon dioxide, which it does in the process of respiration. The transfer of these gases in counter directions (from the external environment to the tissues of the body and back) is carried out by the blood. For this purpose, special elements of the blood are “adapted” - the so-called respiratory pigments, which contain metal ions in their molecules that are capable of binding oxygen molecules and, if necessary, releasing them.
In humans, the respiratory pigment of the blood is hemoglobin, which contains divalent iron ions (Fe2+). It is thanks to hemoglobin that our blood is red.
BUT... there is also a blue one; http://content.foto.mail.ru/mail/lenzel_78/_answers/i-549.jpg
and colored; http://content.foto.mail.ru/mail/lenzel_78/_answers/i-550.jpg
and yellow; and yellow - orange... and even green and white!

Red chemotherapy

The naming of chemotherapy based on color comes from the patients themselves. “Red chemotherapy” is called simply because it involves the use of anthracyclines - red solutions (doxorubicin, epirubicin). This includes the FAC, CAF, AC schemes.

There is also blue chemotherapy (mitoxantrone), white chemotherapy (Taxotel, Taxol), yellow chemotherapy (CMF regimen).

Red chemotherapy is prescribed depending on the diagnosis (size, zone, rate of spread of cancer cells), age, concomitant diseases, immunohistochemical study (ER PR her2neu), biopsy, mammography, ultrasound, etc.

Red chemotherapy is considered the most severe for the body in terms of toxicity, followed by the more gentle and gentle yellow chemotherapy. For example, 6 courses of yellow chemotherapy are equivalent to 4 courses of adjuvant chemotherapy.

The anthracyclines used in red chemotherapy do not have any particular neurotoxicity leading to numbness of the limbs in patients or baldness. The reason for the negative consequences of using red chemotherapy lies in the little studied combinations of chemotherapy drugs. Individually, they are not very toxic, but in some combination they can have side effects.

When undergoing a course of chemotherapy, doctors try to change the red chemotherapy to colorless or yellow after months of treatment in order to have a comprehensive effect on cancer cells and prevent the occurrence of febrile neutropenia, which can threaten the patient’s life. Neutropenia is a decrease in the level of neutrophils (one of the types of white blood cells responsible for anti-infective defense) after the use of red chemotherapy. A characteristic symptom of neutropenia is the appearance of a high temperature (38 degrees) during a course of red chemotherapy. Then the doctor must prescribe antibiotics.

her grandmother lives there

Milk chocolate...

The designation of chemotherapy is popular. “Red” chemotherapy involves the use of anthracyclines (doxorubicin, epirubicin), the solutions of which are red. This includes the FAC, CAF, AC schemes. "Yellow" chemotherapy is chemotherapy according to the CMF regimen. "White" chemotherapy - therapy with taxanes (Taxotere, Taxol). Blue chemotherapy involves the use of mitoxantrone. The prescription of chemotherapy depends on the diagnosis (prevalence), age, concomitant diseases, immunohistochemical study (ER PR her2neu).

It really depends on the hair color. It is suitable mainly for blondes and girls with black hair, as it creates contrast. (but, as with any rule, there are always exceptions) it is also important that the color be “even”, but, for example, a girl with “uneven” hair color, but lipstick suits her
The shape of the lips and eye color also play an important role. They choose the tone based on them. Example
Well, and in addition to all this, we must not forget about the color of the teeth and careful use of red lipstick, because it always attracts attention :)

I have almost everything

Even though Valentine's Day might have us believe something completely different, our heart is actually a dull brown color. Why is blood red? Let's find out the real reason.

The most pressing question for many

There are many organs in our body that have a variety of colors. For example, we have bright pink lungs, a brown liver and a gray brain. And by the way, red blood flows through your veins and arteries. Each of us has probably wondered more than once why blood is red. We have the answers for you.

What is blood really?

Human blood is not just a liquid. It contains a lot of different elements that distribute nutrients throughout the body and fill our tissues with oxygen. Most of our blood consists of plasma, in which blood cells (formed elements) are suspended, and any substances that are carried (besides oxygen) dissolve here. Plasma is the most important component of this important liquid and is very pale in color with a yellow tint. But as soon as the formed elements dissolve in it, it sharply changes its color and becomes slightly cloudy. The most common type of blood cell found in plasma is red blood cells, which contain a protein called hemoglobin.

What is the truth about the color of blood?

The generally accepted opinion is that it is iron, which can be found in hemoglobin, that gives our blood this red color, but everyone who believes so is very much mistaken. The red color is formed due to heme, a special pigment that is part of hemoglobin and contains iron ions. Oxygen, in turn, combines with iron, and it is this interaction that makes our blood red. The other components of a blood cell do not affect its color in any way.

Light or dark?

If hemoglobin contains high levels of oxygen, then it will reflect certain wavelengths of light while absorbing all others, thereby giving the blood a bright red color. If it contains less oxygen, the reflected waves will be slightly different, the blood will become slightly darker.

What about blue blood?

As for people of aristocratic origin, the so-called blue-blooded individuals, they have almost the same red liquid as everyone else. But in hypoxia (dangerously low levels of oxygen in the blood), the wavelengths of reflected light reach the purple end of the spectrum. And then you can see blue veins through the skin.

It consists of a liquid part, called plasma, and formed elements - blood cells. Normally, plasma makes up about 55% of the total volume, cells – about 45%.

Plasma

This pale yellow liquid performs very important functions. Thanks to plasma, cells suspended in it can move. It consists of 90% water, the remaining 10% are organic and inorganic components. Plasma contains microelements, vitamins, and intermediate metabolic elements.

Cages

There are three types of shaped elements:

leukocytes - white cells that perform a protective function, protecting the body from internal diseases and foreign agents penetrating from the outside;
platelets - small colorless plates responsible for coagulation;
Red blood cells are the same cells that make blood red.

Red blood cells give blood its red color

Red blood cells

These cells, called red blood cells, make up most of the formed elements - more than 90%. Their main function is to transfer oxygen from the lungs to peripheral tissues and carbon dioxide from tissues to the lungs for further removal from the body. Red blood cells are continuously produced in the bone marrow. Their lifespan is about four months, after which they are destroyed in the spleen and liver.

The color of blood varies depending on whether it flows from the heart or to the heart. The blood that comes from the lungs and then travels through the arteries to the organs is saturated with oxygen and has a bright scarlet color. The fact is that hemoglobin in the lungs binds oxygen molecules and turns into oxyhemoglobin, which has a light red color. Upon entering the organs, oxyhemoglobin releases O₂ and turns back into hemoglobin. In peripheral tissues, it binds carbon dioxide, takes the form of carbohemoglobin and darkens. Therefore, the blood flowing through the veins from the tissues to the heart and lungs is dark, with a bluish tint.

An immature red blood cell contains little hemoglobin, so at first it is blue, then becomes gray, and only when ripe it becomes red.

Hemoglobin

This is a complex protein that includes a pigment group. One third of the red blood cell consists of hemoglobin, which makes the cell red.

Hemoglobin consists of a protein - globin, and a non-protein pigment - heme, containing ferrous ion. Each hemoglobin molecule includes four hemes, which account for 4% of the total mass of the molecule, while globin accounts for 96% of the mass. The main role in the activity of hemoglobin belongs to the iron ion. To transport oxygen, heme reversibly binds to the O₂ molecule. Ferrous oxide is what gives blood its red color.

Instead of a conclusion

The blood of humans and other vertebrates is red in color due to the iron-containing protein hemoglobin. But there are living beings on Earth whose blood contains other types of protein, and therefore its color is different. In scorpions, spiders, octopuses, and crayfish, it is blue because it contains the protein hemocyanin, which includes copper, which is responsible for the shade. In sea worms, the blood protein contains ferrous iron, which is why it is green.

Causes of light or scarlet blood during menstruation

If light blood appears during menstruation, and previously menstruation was of a different nature (color, consistency, smell), you should immediately visit a gynecologist. Often such discharge is a sign of a serious illness. You may need to consult a neurologist and endocrinologist.

Normal for light menstruation

In the absence of deviations, the color of the secreted fluid may be scarlet, dark red or brown in the first and last days (daub). It also contains inclusions of mucus, fragments of rejected endometrium

Menstruation should be without the presence of an unpleasant (fetid) odor, itching, burning, severe pain, or black color. This is considered normal if menstruation began on time, no less than 21 days from the previous critical days, the blood does not clot, the total volume of discharge on average does not exceed ml for the entire period, and its duration is from 3 to 7 days.

If women of reproductive age have periods like water with blood throughout the entire period, then at the end of it it will be necessary to seek advice from a gynecologist. It is recommended to be examined using an ultrasound (transvaginal), video colposcope (extensive colposcopy), and donate blood to determine the level of hemoglobin and hormones.

In girls for a year or 2 years after menarche and in women during premenopause, the preservation of scarlet (light) color of menstrual blood is not a pathology. However, a doctor's examination is recommended to rule out diseases.

Light, light bleeding 2-2.5 weeks after menstruation may be due to ovulation (when the egg is released, the hormonal levels change, the follicle membrane is damaged). May be implantation bleeding, when the embryo implants into the endometrial tissue, rupturing the vessels. Normally, such red discharge lasts from several hours to 3-5 days, which is why women perceive it either as menstruation or as a deviation.

Pathology during light menstruation

There are several reasons why the discharge remains bright red, pink or lightly colored (beige), or the menstruation appears ahead of schedule. These are endocrine, gynecological and sexually transmitted diseases, spontaneous abortions in the early stages of pregnancy, vaginal bleeding, trauma to the mucous membranes with an intrauterine device, the consequence of unsuccessful curettage, and a cancerous tumor.

Symptoms of pathological abnormalities:

less than 3 weeks or more than 35 days have passed between menstruation;
scanty or heavy periods or they last longer than 7 days;
there are clots larger than 2-2.5 cm;
systematic cycle failures;
the light color of the blood remains throughout the entire period of critical days;
unpleasant odor reminiscent of rotten fish;
itching, dryness;
body temperature is higher than normal;
cutting or other pain in the area of the genitourinary organs, tracts;
scanty discharge becomes more abundant over time, without signs of completion;
bleeding systematically resumes every few days.

If there is at least one symptom, a diagnosis should be carried out immediately to find the cause of the deviation. A gynecological examination is required even if the color of menstruation is normal (dark red, not bright), but there are other symptoms of pathology. Early diagnosis will help avoid complications, one of which is iron deficiency anemia.

Reasons for the appearance of light-colored blood:

criminal abortion;
miscarriage;
bacterial infections acquired through sexual contact (STDs);
damage to the mucous membranes or endometrium by a medical instrument;
incorrectly selected hormonal drugs, including contraception;
low hemoglobin level.

With the help of a gynecologist, laboratory and hardware diagnostics, it is easier to identify the causes that provoked bleeding or eliminate factors that contribute to its reoccurrence. For example, they select adequate hormonal contraception, prescribe vitamin therapy, remove the intrauterine device, eliminate the consequences of abortion, and use other treatment methods.

Bacterial vaginosis

The vaginal microflora of women contains lactobacilli, which maintain optimal acidity of the reproductive tract and suppress pathogenic infections streptococcus, E. coli, staphylococcus and other agents. If their natural level is disturbed, a woman may develop gardnerellosis (synonyms: dysbiosis of the vaginal environment, bacterial vaginosis).

Typically, the number of lactobacilli changes due to excessive douching, the use of low-quality intimate hygiene products, after sexual intercourse (unprotected sex) or drug treatment (side effect of drugs). Pathology does not apply to venereology.

Symptoms of the disease: discharge stinks of rotten fish (the aroma intensifies after sex), light blood, a lot of mucus, itching. For diagnosis, additional smears are taken from which pathogenic microflora will be inoculated.

If vaginosis is confirmed, therapy is prescribed using antibacterial drugs and other drugs appropriate for the treatment of the specific stage of the disease. It is necessary to eliminate gardnerellosis to avoid inflammatory processes.

During menstruation, the blood may appear pink, bright red, or like slightly colored water (ichor). If a test confirmation of pregnancy has already been received (standard or hCG), then such menstruation is a sign of spontaneous abortion. This situation requires medical supervision with possible hormonal adjustments to preserve the fetus.

However, there are often cases when the menstrual cycle operates according to schedule during the first trimester and light ichor without clots appears instead of menstruation. A doctor's consultation is advisable.

Conclusion

Women are advised to undergo regular general medical examinations to protect themselves from complications of various diseases. After all, light menstrual blood occurs when the thyroid gland is malfunctioning (hormonal imbalances), due to overwork, chronic fatigue, poor nutrition (strict diets), diseases of the nervous system and for many other reasons.

Should you sound the alarm if your periods are bright scarlet?

The color of menstrual blood is an indicator of a woman's health and the normal course of her cycle, so you need to know what color your periods should be. The statistical norm is dark, red-brown or burgundy color of the blood; there may be small inclusions of mucus and clots - particles of dead uterine mucosa. At the very beginning, a healthy woman’s period may well be lighter in color: scarlet or red. The color of the blood is determined by the iron content in it, so in the first 1–2 days, when the process has just begun and fresh blood comes out, menstruation may be scarlet and not as thick as in the last days, when the blood and rejected endometrial particles have already oxidized and coagulated .

However, the process of oxidation and darkening of the blood is mandatory, and if your period has been going on for 4-5 days, but its color does not change towards brown, you should listen to your body. Scarlet discharge for several days or a week may not be menstruation, but uterine bleeding. Bleeding requires immediate medical attention, accurate diagnosis and hemostatic agents, along with treatment of the cause.

Dark menstrual blood is typical for the vast majority of women, but normal variants include red, scarlet, and even pinkish, because often the color of the blood depends on its chemical composition, which can differ even for one woman at different periods of her life and change over the course of her life. year. For those whose cycle is already established and stable, it will not be difficult to notice a change in the color of the discharge. If normally you always have lighter blood than almost black venous blood, then pinkish or orange blood, or, conversely, too dark discharge from the first day will be an alarming signal for you. In this case, it is not the scarlet blood itself that should be of concern, but the unusual color or consistency of menstruation. A new shade of blood for you in combination with scant discharge or pain is especially dangerous; if you notice this set of symptoms, you should immediately go to an appointment with a gynecologist.

How to distinguish bleeding from menstruation?

First of all, evaluate the color, consistency and smell of the discharge, and its duration. Menstrual blood has a rather specific smell, while during bleeding the blood flows almost odorless, more liquid, flowing, without mucus and pieces of the endometrium. On the other hand, an excessive number of small clots also indicates problems.

The intensity of discharge during menstruation is on average 20–50 ml per day, maximum 60 ml. Menstruation comes in portions; inclusions of hard tissue and clots can most often be observed in them. If you have red blood flowing continuously, in a uniform flow, the abundance of which is much higher than your usual menstruation, immediately consult a doctor! Even in 1 hour of bleeding, a woman can lose a large amount of blood, fainting and weakness. Getting a tampon or pad wet within an hour or two should alert you.

Cycle timing failure. Did your period start a week earlier or later than you expected? Moreover, the blood is scarlet, the discharge is unusually scanty or too abundant. This is probably not menstruation at all, but a hormonal imbalance or even an ectopic pregnancy. You need to immediately undergo an ultrasound and visit a doctor. The same applies to the duration of the cycle, if the bleeding lasted up to 3 or more than 7 days, you have a reason to visit the doctor.

Weakness, fatigue, pale skin of the face and hands, chills. You are unable to do your usual activities and lead your standard lifestyle, you instantly get tired and want to lie down to sleep, you feel dizzy and have a headache, and your coordination of movements is impaired. All of these symptoms indicate blood loss and the need for immediate medical attention.

Even the slightest suspicion of bleeding not associated with the natural menstrual cycle is a good reason to urgently visit a doctor!

When should you worry about a bright scarlet period?

There are several other reasons why your periods are scarlet. Such discharge is possible in young girls during the formation of the menstrual cycle. Another age group for which this feature is typical are women who will soon enter menopause or who have already begun the menopause process. In both cases, the color of menstruation is affected by dramatic changes in hormonal levels. Most often, bright discharge is not the only difference from the normal course of menstruation; the duration of the discharge, its intensity and character also fluctuates. For women of reproductive age, such symptoms are unusual, and often signal problems in the field of gynecology.

More alarming causes of light red or scarlet blood may be a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood or other problems of the hematopoietic system. If you notice such a symptom for several months, you should take a general blood test and seek advice not only from a gynecologist, but also from other specialists.

Scarlet periods can be the result of various gynecological diseases or dysfunction of the reproductive system. Hypomenorrhea, the consequences of chronic infections and inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs, ovulatory and anovulatory bleeding, the first signs of oncological processes, ectopic pregnancy - all this can affect the color of the blood. And in each of these cases, self-diagnosis and self-medication are strictly contraindicated; you must undergo examination and treatment immediately.

What can be determined by the color of blood?

The color of blood varies depending on the source of blood loss. Depends on oxygen saturation through tissues. There is no oxygen in venous blood; it depends on CO2 saturation. (tissue metabolism). Although, most often the bleeding is of a mixed nature.

Arterial blood is bright scarlet and flows out from the site of injury in dots, corresponding to the cardiac output with each heart contraction. Capillary blood is taken from a finger. In case of anemia, both from the finger and from the vein - liquid, light.

Venous blood is dark, maroon. Blood is often taken from a vein for analysis and it is immediately clear whether it is thick or not; in some cases, it coagulates immediately in a test tube. With carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, the blood is very thick and there is a high risk of thrombosis in the vascular system.

With hemoptysis, the blood also differs. Sometimes scarlet, streaked, sometimes dark with clots - be afraid of pulmonary hemorrhage with tuberculosis. Sometimes you need to ask to cough into a handkerchief or napkin and see the nature of the hemoptysis. The intensity of bleeding depends on the area of the lesion and the size of the vessels. What is shown on TV is not the reality at all)

In case of abrasions and superficial injuries with damage to the skin, dark-colored blood comes from the capillary bed. Nosebleeds are blood that is neither scarlet nor dark, sometimes in clots. They should not be swallowed.

Bleeding into the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract - blood in the stool from the esophagus (M-Weiss syndrome), stomach, duodenum, high parts of the intestine, ulcers and erosions in nonspecific ulcerative colitis (UC) changes the color of the stool like “tar” " - melena. If the blood is from the superficial veins of the intestine or superficial hemorrhoids, the blood is scarlet, in the form of ribbons on the stool.

Color of menstruation: blood is bright red, reasons, what is the danger

Why is red dangerous?

Pale skin.
Drowsiness.
Dizziness.

Causes of bright red periods

Visitor reviews

Cancel reply

Copying materials is permitted only with an active link to the source

Consultation with a doctor on the use of any drugs and procedures posted on the site is required.

Color of menstrual flow

The menstrual cycle is a reflection of women's health. From the beginning of the first menstruation, a menstrual calendar appears in the life of every girl, counting down the days and monitoring regularity begins. If any malfunctions appear in the body, critical days begin earlier or later than expected. But this is not the only reason that becomes a cause for concern for the fair sex. Many girls and women notice changes in the color of menstrual flow. Some ignore this phenomenon, others begin to attribute various diagnoses to themselves. In this article, we will figure out what shade of menstruation is normal, and also find out what discharge indicates a violation of women's health.

The color of your period can tell a lot about a woman's health.

Bright red periods: normal or abnormal?

The color of menstrual blood reflects a picture of health. It depends on the level of iron in the body. At the beginning of menstruation, when the body is undergoing active restructuring, there may be a bright red discharge. At the beginning of menstruation, the secretions may differ in consistency; they may not be as viscous and thickened as in the middle of the critical days. Starting from the second day of menstruation, an active oxidation process occurs, and the blood gradually changes color, it darkens. If neither on the second nor on the third day the blood darkens, then there are disruptions in the menstrual cycle. A bright red tint to menstrual secretions may indicate serious problems in the body.

Red menstrual secretion, reminiscent of the color of ordinary blood, is not a pathology in two age categories. Menstruation of this color can occur in adolescents whose cycle is at the formation stage, as well as in women during menopause. During these periods, hormonal changes are natural and stabilize independently, without drug treatment. If scarlet discharge occurs during menstruation for several cycles in a row, you need to consult a specialist. It is possible that it will be necessary to normalize the hormonal balance in the body using special means.

Red periods may be a sign of hormonal imbalance

Why is red dangerous?

If bright red discharge lasts for several days in a row, it may not be menstruation at all, but uterine bleeding. Sometimes the presence of such a secretion indicates an ectopic pregnancy. In such a situation, not only the color of menstruation is important, but also the characteristics of your well-being. Direct signs of blood loss are:

Excessive weakness and unjustified feeling of fatigue.
Pale skin.
Drowsiness.
Dizziness.

If red discharge is combined with at least one of these signs, it is recommended to immediately seek medical help. Neglect of one's health can lead to significant blood loss.

Paleness and constant fatigue are signs of bleeding

Causes of bright red periods

If you do not belong to crisis groups (adolescence and menopause) and notice that with the arrival of menstruation, the discharge has changed its color, be careful. Bright red periods may indicate the presence of various diseases:

The presence of inflammatory processes in the body. It could be a simple cold, or it could be serious dysfunction.
Menstruation may be red in the presence of gynecological diseases.
If the cycle is regular, bright periods end within 3-7 days (the norm for menstruation) and you do not feel pain in the abdominal area, then this may indicate a low level of hemoglobin in the blood and a decrease in immunity.
Red menstrual secretion is caused by hormonal imbalance in the body. It can be caused by disruptions in the endocrine system.
Red discharge, similar to regular blood, can warn of the appearance of malignant tumors. The affected internal organs of the female reproductive system begin to bleed, the color of menstruation changes.

Normally, the color of menstruation should be burgundy or dark red. The color of the secretion may change during menstrual periods. On the first day, red or brown discharge is acceptable. They may contain small amounts of clots and mucus. If the discharge is bright scarlet or dark brown throughout the entire period, then this signals functional changes in the body.

Why is the skin around the eyes dark?

The skin around the eyes is the thinnest and most delicate. It is penetrated by many capillaries through which blood flows. As a result of the tiny vessel rupturing, blood leaks out. Due to the process of releasing the body from leaked blood, dark circles appear. Blood contains hemoglobin; during the oxidation process, it breaks down into smaller components and acquires a purple or blue color. The same process is observed after a blow, when a bruise appears.

Causes of dark circles under the eyes

An allergic reaction can cause black circles to appear under the eyes. When your eyes become watery and itchy, you can't resist scratching them. Due to constant rubbing, damage to the capillaries occurs, which entails such consequences.

There is an opinion that fatigue, lack of sleep, and overexertion can change your appearance accordingly. But this lifestyle does not cause the appearance of black circles, it only makes the skin pale, which further emphasizes the blackness under the eyes. But poor nutrition, lack of vitamins and lack of rest together can negatively affect the skin around the eyes.

The culprit may be old age, which spares no one. The skin becomes thinner and blood vessels become more visible. And the older a person gets, the more the process gets worse. By identifying the cause of the appearance of black circles under the eyes, the doctor can diagnose a lack of iron in the blood. To increase the level of iron in the blood, you need to eat right, eat more fresh fruits, vegetables and natural juices.

People who work a lot at the computer need to especially carefully monitor their vision, eyes and the condition of their skin. Severe overstrain of the visual organs is the cause of the appearance of circles under the eyes.

Blood forms the basis of the life of a living organism. Circulating through the system of vessels, veins and arteries, it transports oxygen and substances necessary for metabolism or formed as a result of metabolic processes to various organs.

But the functions of blood are not limited to transporting nutrients and metabolic products. Blood regulates body temperature and transports hormones responsible for vital processes; protects the body from infections and damage.

What is blood for: basic functions

Almost all processes in the body related to respiration and digestion are associated with blood supply. It is the blood that transports oxygen from the lungs to the tissues, and carbon dioxide from the tissues and organs to the lungs. The secretion products of endocrine glands - hormones - are transported throughout the body with the blood, and this ensures coordination between various organs.

Nutrients from the small intestine travel through capillaries through the blood from the digestive tract to the liver. Here the modification of fatty acids, glucose, amino acids and the regulation of their quantity occurs, depending on what the body needs at the moment to a greater extent.

Further, the transported substances reach their “destination points” through tissue capillaries. End products enter the blood from tissues, which are then excreted from the body, for example, in urine.

In warm-blooded organisms, blood plays a primary role in the process of maintaining optimal body temperature, or thermoregulation. In different parts of the body, the absorption and release of heat must be balanced, and this balance is made possible precisely because the blood carries heat.

The main center of thermoregulatory processes is located in the brain - the hypothalamus, which is sensitive to changes in the temperature of the blood passing through it. The hypothalamus regulates the processes by which heat is released or absorbed.

For example, heat loss can be regulated by changing the diameter of the skin's blood vessels, which in turn changes the volume of blood flowing near the surface of the body (which is where heat is lost most easily).

About the color of blood

Blood is a liquid, the fluidity of which is determined by its viscosity and the nature of the movement of its components. Blood viscosity depends on the number of red blood cells and proteins it contains, and affects the speed of blood flow and blood pressure.

Blood consists of pale yellow plasma, which contains three types of cellular elements: red blood cells (erythrocytes), white cells (leukocytes), and platelets (platelets). The total volume of blood in the body of an adult male is about five liters, with most of it being plasma and the rest mostly red blood cells. Red blood cells contain the pigment hemoglobin, which gives blood its red color.

The main function of red blood cells is to transport oxygen, and hemoglobin plays a key role in this process. Hemoglobin is an organic pigment that contains a compound of porphyrin with iron (heme) and the protein globin.

It is known that the blood in the arteries and veins has different shades: venous blood is dark, arterial blood is bright scarlet. This happens because the arteries carry blood from the heart and lungs and are saturated with oxygen. And through the veins, blood from tissues and organs flows to the heart; the hemoglobin in this blood is almost devoid of oxygen, which is why it has a dark color.

Can blood be a different color?

Of course it can. For example, the blood of octopuses, scorpions, crayfish, and spiders is blue because instead of hemoglobin it contains hemocyanin, and the metal in it is not iron, but copper.

If iron colors human blood red, copper gives the blood of octopuses and other organisms a blue or blue tint. By the way, when octopus blood is saturated with oxygen, it darkens, and in the veins, on the contrary, it turns pale.

And in nature there are sea worms whose blood is green. It gets this color thanks to the ferrous iron it contains.

It consists of a liquid part, called plasma, and formed elements - blood cells. Normally, plasma makes up about 55% of the total volume, cells – about 45%.

Plasma

Cages

There are three types of shaped elements:

leukocytes - white cells that perform a protective function, protecting the body from internal diseases and foreign agents penetrating from the outside;
platelets - small colorless plates responsible for coagulation;
Red blood cells are the same cells that make blood red.

Red blood cells give blood its red color

Red blood cells

An immature red blood cell contains little hemoglobin, so at first it is blue, then becomes gray, and only when ripe it becomes red.

Hemoglobin

This is a complex protein that includes a pigment group. One third of the red blood cell consists of hemoglobin, which makes the cell red.

Instead of a conclusion

Why is people's blood always red?

Why is blood red? This liquid mobile tissue contains a special dye - hemoglobin. This is a complex protein. Its molecules are located inside red blood cells - erythrocytes. Their main task is to ensure the supply of oxygen to every cell of the body. Blood flows very quickly to the muscles and tissues and hemoglobin turns this body fluid red.

Red blood cells and hemoglobin

Since ancient times, blood has been called the carrier of life. It is pumped by the heart muscle into large and small blood vessels.

Formed elements of blood

Human blood cells are formed in red bone marrow. This is a real factory of formed elements. During centrifugation, the blood is clearly divided into two layers:

The upper light layer, plasma, is the liquid part of the blood, an intercellular substance. This yellowish liquid is about 60%. It contains minerals, water, proteins.
The bottom layer is dark, red. This is the second part of the blood, its cells. The formed elements include red blood cells - erythrocytes, as well as platelets and leukocytes. They differ from each other in shape, size, quantity and function.

Erythrocytes - red blood cells

Most of the blood contains red blood cells. These are the main, most numerous blood cells. In the circulatory system, their number reaches 20 trillion. There are 4-5 million of them in one microliter. They move in the center of blood vessels.

Red blood cells are small cells without a nucleus. They can only be seen under an electron microscope. Here they can be seen in the form of biconcave disks. Each red blood cell is covered with a membrane. Its cytoplasm is 1/3 filled with hemoglobin molecules. The human liver and spleen contain the maximum amount of these postcellular blood structures.

The life of each red blood cell is short - only three months. Then it is destroyed. Obsolete, defective iron-containing cells are dissolved or absorbed by phagocytes - protective microphages and macrophages. They destroy damaged red blood cells in the spleen.

How can you find out the number of red blood cells in the body?

To calculate the level of red blood cells per unit volume of blood, samples are placed in a special chamber. Counting is carried out under a microscope. In a medical facility, this analysis is performed very quickly using modern electronic equipment.

Hemoglobin is a complex substance

This biological iron-containing structure contains:

Non-protein group of globin and simple protein heme.

Globin protein contains amino acids.

Hemoglobin (Hb) consists of 4 amino acid chains. They are a group of molecules called amino acids. They look like curly ribbons. Each chain has a hemogroup.

Hemoglobin has a bright red color due to the content of divalent iron oxide. The iron molecule in hemoglobin helps maintain the normal shape of red blood cells.

In nature, not all living organisms have a red blood tint. In some species of insects and invertebrates, red blood cells contain iron-containing proteins and ferrous iron, rather than hemoglobin. Therefore, their blood has a purple or green tint. Scorpions, crabs, octopuses, spiders, and octopuses have blue blood because the substance in their blood that binds oxygen is hemocyanin, which contains copper, and not hemoglobin.

How hemoglobin releases oxygen

The main feature of hemoglobin is that it is capable of attaching carbon dioxide and oxygen. In this way, hemoglobin in red blood cells transports oxygen in the body. It moves it from the lungs to every cell of the body.

The transfer of oxygen to tissues is a complex process. There are iron ions in the center of hemoglobin. These are four oxygen binding points. As soon as hemoglobin binds to one oxygen molecule, its shape changes in such a way that it is convenient for its other hemogroups to attach oxygen. Due to these properties, hemoglobin, when moving through the pulmonary capillaries, is a good acceptor of oxygen.

In the vessels of the lungs, oxygen joins hemoglobin and is transferred to tissues in the form of oxyhemoglobin, where it is split off. If there is an acidic environment - carbon dioxide, oxygen can be released. In the human body, tissue cells are very active in the quadriceps muscles. They release a lot of carbon dioxide into the capillaries. This substance attaches to hemoglobin. A chemical reaction occurs. Oxygen begins to be released exactly where it is needed in the human body.

When muscles use oxygen, tissue cells release carbon dioxide. Therefore, venous blood darkens, becomes purple, dark red. It has a blue tint because it lacks oxygen. Hemoglobin in red blood cells picks up carbon dioxide in the tissues and delivers it to the lungs. Here carbon dioxide passes into the tissues of this organ. The brain receives a signal about this. The center of the nervous system gives the command and the body exhales. As a result, carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide) is released into the surrounding air.

The red blood cells then reabsorb pure oxygen. As hemoglobin combines with oxygen, arterial blood turns bright red again.

Red blood, enriched with oxygen, is sent to the heart muscle. Here, as a result of contraction of the left ventricle, blood is pushed into the systemic circulation, which carries oxygen throughout the human body.

Without hemoglobin, life is impossible, since tissues lack oxygen when the level of this protein is low. This type of blood is liquid and carries little oxygen. There are not enough nutrients, the person feels tired. All internal organs are not working well. Anemia develops.

Iron-containing substances supplied with food are of two types:

Hemic iron. Contained in the heme molecule. It is present in fish, poultry, and red animal meat.
Non-hemic iron. Contained in plant products.

It is believed that the body's absorption of hemic iron is more efficient than non-hemic iron.

The blood taken into a test tube is mixed with hydrochloric acid and diluted drop by drop with distilled water. When the blood color matches the standard, the divisions on the hemometer will show the percentage of hemoglobin.

In clinics, an electrocalorimeter is used to determine hemoglobin levels.

How can you find out your hemoglobin level at home?

If this indicator is normal, the lines on the palm should be slightly darker than the skin. If these folds are lighter, the hemoglobin level of the owner of the palm is low.

If white spots or stripes appear on the nails, this is a sign of iron deficiency in the body.

What is necessary for normal hemoglobin levels?

For this you need iron. Its deficiency in the body can be prevented with the help of a proper diet. But if hemoglobin is below normal, it is almost impossible to solve this problem only with the use of products.

Doctors use modern hematology analyzers to determine the causes of iron deficiency in the body.

An overdose of iron in the body through food is impossible, since the body will not absorb excess of this substance if it has normal reserves.

Some foods promote iron absorption, while others interfere with this process. Therefore, it is not recommended to take iron supplements with food.

But when a person takes iron in medicinal form, food cannot radically interfere with the absorption of iron. In case of iron deficiency in the body, it is important to stop the progression of anemia with the help of a doctor and medications.

The formation of red blood cells in the body is a continuous process. Red blood cells continually form in the bone marrow and produce hemoglobin, which contains protein and iron. The presence of this complex protein explains the red color of blood, since Hb is the main coloring pigment.

When the level of oxygen in the blood changes, there is a different color saturation of the liquid moving tissue.

You can download a song about this special body tissue.

Hemoglobin
Glucose (sugar)
Blood group
Leukocytes
Platelets
Red blood cells

Copying site materials is possible without prior approval if you install an active indexed link to our site.

Why is blood red?

Blood is a vital substance for humans (and many other living beings). It has a red color. But why neither blue, nor green, or any other, namely red?

The answer to this question lies in the composition of the blood. And it consists of plasma and a large number of different substances called formed elements.

Plasma is a light yellow liquid. It contains salts, fats, carbohydrates and many other substances needed by the body. Without plasma, blood can clot and become like a thick gel.

The formed elements are erythrocytes (red blood cells), leukocytes (white blood cells) and platelets (blood platelets). There are more red cells in the blood of a healthy person than white cells. It is because of the content of red cells in it that blood has this color.

There are approximately 35 billion red cells moving throughout our body in our blood vessels. If their number decreases, then doctors diagnose the person with anemia.

Growing in the bone marrow, red blood cells produce hemoglobin, a red pigment containing iron and protein. Red blood cells are useful because they carry oxygen throughout the body, and in addition, remove carbon dioxide from it.

They exist in the blood for about four months, and then disintegrate and are replaced by new ones. The production of red blood cells occurs constantly in the body, and even when we sleep.

Why does a person have red blood?

Blood is a combination of many substances - plasma and formed elements. Each element has strictly defined functions and tasks; certain particles also have a pronounced pigment, which determines the blood color. Why is human blood red? The pigment is contained in red hemoglobin; it is part of the red blood cell. It is for this reason that there are organisms on Earth (scorpions, spiders, monkfish) whose blood color is blue or green. Their hemoglobin is dominated by copper or iron, which gives the characteristic color of the blood.

To understand all these elements, it is necessary to understand the composition of blood.

Compound

Plasma

As already noted, one of the components of blood is plasma. It takes up about half of the blood composition. Blood plasma turns blood into a liquid state, has a light yellow color and is slightly denser in properties than water. The density of plasma is ensured by substances dissolved in it: antibodies in the blood, salts, fats, carbohydrates and other elements.

Shaped elements

Another component of blood is the formed elements (cells). They are represented by erythrocytes - red blood cells, blood leukocytes - white blood cells, platelets - blood platelets. It is red blood cells that answer the question why blood is red.

Red blood cells

At the same time, about 35 billion red blood cells move through the circulatory system. Appearing in the bone marrow, red blood cells form hemoglobin in the blood - this is a red pigment rich in protein and iron. The task of hemoglobin is to deliver oxygen to vital parts of the body and remove carbon dioxide. Red blood cells live on average 4 months, then they disintegrate in the spleen. The process of formation and breakdown of red blood cells is continuous.

Red blood cells give the blood a red color

Hemoglobin

The blood, enriched with oxygen in the lungs, disperses to the vital organs of the body. At this moment it has a bright scarlet color. This occurs due to the binding of hemoglobin in the blood with oxygen, resulting in oxyhemoglobin. As it passes through the body, it distributes oxygen and becomes hemoglobin again. Next, hemoglobin absorbs carbon dioxide from tissues and is transformed into carbohemoglobin. At this moment, the color of the blood changes to dark red. Immature red blood cells also have a bluish tint, and as they grow they turn gray and then turn red.

Shades of red

The color of the blood may vary. Answers to the questions why blood is dark red or bright red. A person’s blood takes on a different shade depending on whether it moves towards the heart or away from it.

Dark red and bright red blood

Very often people wonder why veins are blue and blood is red? The fact is that venous blood is the blood that flows through the veins to the heart. This blood is saturated with carbon dioxide and deprived of oxygen, has lower acidity, contains less glucose and significantly more final metabolic products. In addition to being dark red, venous blood also has a bluish, blue tint. However, the blue tint of blood is not so strong as to “stain” the veins blue.

Why is blood red? It's all about the process of passing light rays and the ability of bodies to reflect or absorb solar rays. In order to reach venous blood, the beam must pass through the skin, the fat layer, and the vein itself. The sun's ray consists of 7 colors, three of which the blood reflects (red, blue, yellow), the remaining colors are absorbed. Reflected rays pass through tissues a second time to enter the eye. At this moment, red rays and low-frequency light will be absorbed by the body, and blue light will be transmitted. We hope that we have answered why a person has dark red and bright red blood.

Any questions? Ask them to us on VKontakte

Share your experience in this matter Cancel reply

Attention. Our website is for informational purposes only. For more accurate information, to determine your diagnosis and how to treat it, contact the clinic for an appointment with a doctor for a consultation. Copying materials on the site is permitted only with an active link to the source. Please read the Site Use Agreement first.

If you find an error in the text, select it and press Shift + Enter or click here and we will try to quickly correct the error.

Thank you for your message. We will fix the error soon.

Why is blood red?

Blood is red because heme is red, that's all. Nature simply works in such a way that complex compounds of transition metals with organic and inorganic substances usually have some color. For example, many complex compounds of divalent copper are colored dark blue; a complex compound of ferric iron with cyanide in an aqueous solution is yellow in color, and with thiocyanate it is red. And the complex compound of ferrous iron with porphyrin (heme) is colored red. This is how the distribution of valence electrons of this compound among energy levels developed. And it so happened that it is heme that is able to reversibly add molecular oxygen (without the formation of iron oxide!) and carbon oxides, and its red color is only indirectly related to this property. To convert heme iron into oxide, the heme must be irreversibly destroyed. Ferrous oxide is black, insoluble in water and incapable of giving up oxygen just like that. If BestFriend believes that by binding to oxygen, heme iron is oxidized to trivalent iron, then this is also not true. Ferric oxide has a brown-red (or brick-red) color, closer to the color of venous blood, while oxygen-enriched hemoglobin is bright scarlet. Ferric oxide is also insoluble in water, and is also incapable of giving up oxygen just like that. And also, for it to form, heme must be irreversibly destroyed. And the conversion of heme iron into trivalent iron (occurs in some poisonings) leads to the loss of heme’s ability to carry oxygen. Let me emphasize that oxygen bound in a complex with hemoglobin retains its molecular form, without oxidizing anything in hemoglobin.

The fact is that blood contains red blood cells. They, in turn, carry oxygen throughout the body. And the fact is that red blood cells or hemoglobin contain, or rather contain, divalent iron, which attaches oxygen and, together with hemoglobin, is carried by the blood to nourish the cells. But the iron salts in hemoglobin are red in color. and it is arterial blood that is rich in oxygen and brighter in color, while venous blood is darker. Of course, this process is very complex to be explained only from a chemistry perspective. But everyone knows that those who have little hemoglobin in their blood need to consume foods rich in iron.

In order to understand why blood is red, you need to understand its composition.

Blood consists of plasma and formed elements: leukocytes, platelets and erythrocytes.

Leukocytes and platelets are colorless.

Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a red pigment that gives blood its red color.

BestFriend explained everything correctly, all that remains is to add what he kept silent about.

Hemoglobin is contained in special blood cells - red blood cells. This is a necessary condition for the transfer of oxygen into the cells of the body and its release for the oxidation of nutrients (ultimately, obtaining energy for life). Outside of red blood cells, hemoglobin is able to bind oxygen, but gives it away very reluctantly, only under the influence of enzymes. But why reinvent the wheel if all the necessary conditions have already been created in red blood cells?

It is red blood cells that give blood its red color. Especially the arterial one, which is enriched with oxygen (it is bright red and opaque). But venous blood, if you look at it in a test tube, looks like cherry jam diluted with water. The secret of the trick is simple: red blood cells, having given oxygen to the cells, lose color, and also somewhat decrease in size, and go through the veins to the second circle - for a new portion of oxygen from the lungs.

Therefore, anyone can distinguish arterial bleeding from venous bleeding: bright red blood comes from an artery, dark red blood comes from a vein.

The leaves could have been of other colors if not for an accident during their evolution. There are also non-green plants in the world, but it just so happens that it is the green ones that have spread.

And the blood also does not have to be red, there is also blue, due to the content of hemocyanin, instead of hemoglobin,

What gives blood its red color?

Why is human blood red?

Science knows that different living organisms on the planet have different blood colors.

However, in humans it is red. Why is blood red? This question is asked by both children and adults.

The answer is quite simple: the red color is due to hemoglobin, which contains iron atoms in its structure.

What makes blood red is hemoglobin, which consists of:

From a protein called globin;
The non-protein element heme, which contains the ferrous ion.

There are four hemes in hemoglobin molecules. Their number is 4 percent of the total mass of the molecule, and globin accounts for 96 percent.

The main effect in the activity of hemoglobin belongs to the iron ion.

Ferrous oxide makes blood red.

The metal that promotes the reproduction of red blood cells is continuously produced by the human body.

Nitric oxide, in turn, plays an important role in regulating blood pressure.

Types of blood

Compound

Blood is a rapidly renewing connective tissue that continuously circulates throughout the human body.

It was possible to find out what gives the red color, but its elements turn out to be no less interesting. What elements give it this color is an equally interesting aspect.

Plasma. The liquid is light yellow in color, with its help the cells in its composition can move. It is composed of 90 percent water, with the remaining 10 percent made up of organic and inorganic components. Plasma also contains vitamins and microelements. The light yellow liquid contains many useful substances.
The formed elements are blood cells. There are three types of cells: white blood cells, platelets and red blood cells. Each type of cell has certain functions and characteristics.

Leukocytes

These are white cells that protect the human body. They protect it from internal diseases and foreign microorganisms penetrating from the outside.

This is a white element in color. Its white tint cannot be ignored during laboratory tests, so such cells are identified quite simply.

White blood cells recognize foreign cells that can cause harm and destroy them.

Platelets

These are very small colored plates whose main function is coagulation.

These cells are responsible for ensuring that the blood:

It coagulated and did not flow out of the body;
Coagulates quite quickly on the surface of the wound.

Red blood cells

More than 90 percent of these cells are in the blood. It is also red because red blood cells have this hue.

They carry oxygen from the lungs to peripheral tissues and are continuously produced in the bone marrow. They live for about four months, then are destroyed in the liver and spleen.

It is very important for red blood cells to carry oxygen to various tissues of the human body.

Few people know that immature red blood cells are blue, then acquire a gray tint and only then become red.

There are quite a lot of human red blood cells, which is why oxygen reaches peripheral tissues so quickly.

It is difficult to say which element is more significant. Each of them has an important function that affects human health.

Explanation for the child

Children often ask questions regarding the components of the human body. Blood is one of the most popular topics of discussion.

Explanations for children should be extremely simple, but at the same time informative. Blood contains many substances that differ in function.

Consists of plasma and special cells:

Plasma is a liquid that contains useful substances. It has a light yellow tint.
The formed elements are red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

The presence of red cells - erythrocytes - explains its color. Red blood cells are red by nature, and their accumulation leads to the fact that a person’s blood is exactly this color.

There are about thirty-five billion red cells that move throughout the human body in the blood vessels.

Why are veins blue

The veins carry burgundy blood. They are red, like the color of the blood that flows through them, but not blue. The veins only appear blue.

This can be explained by the law of physics about the reflection of light and perception:

When a ray of light hits the body, the skin reflects some of the waves and looks light. However, it transmits the blue spectrum much worse.

The blood itself absorbs light of all wavelengths. The skin gives a blue color for visibility, and the vein is red.

The human brain compares the color of the blood vessel against the warm tone of the skin, resulting in blue.

Blood of a different color in various living creatures

Not all living organisms have red blood.

The protein that gives this color in humans is hemoglobin, contained in hemoglobin. Other living beings have other fat-containing proteins instead of hemoglobin.

The most common shades besides red are:

Blue. Crustaceans, spiders, mollusks, octopuses and squids boast this color. And blue blood is of great importance for these creatures, as it is filled with important elements. Instead of hemoglobin, it contains hemocyanin, which contains copper.
Violet. This color is found in marine invertebrates and some mollusks. Usually such blood is not only purple, but also slightly pink. The blood of young invertebrate organisms is pink. In this case, the protein is hemerythrin.
Green. Found in annelids and leeches. The protein is chlorocruorin, close to hemoglobin. However, iron in this case is not oxide, but ferrous.

The color of blood varies depending on the protein it contains. Whatever the color of blood, it contains a huge amount of useful substances necessary for a living organism. Pigment is important for every organism, despite its diversity.