Maxime Dely/LinkedIn

Nov 11, 2025, 11:45

Maxime Dely: Do the Seasons Influence the Quality of Our Blood Donations?

Maxime Dely, Sales and Application Specialist in Therapeutic Apheresis and Cell Therapy, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“We often talk about seasonal variations in donation rates — but rarely about the biological seasonality of our cells.

Yet, hemoglobin, platelets, and white blood cells don’t behave the same way all year long

In winter

Hemoglobin levels rise
Cold weather stimulates the production of erythropoietin — the hormone that drives red blood cell formation.
Dry air and slight dehydration can also lead to higher blood concentration.
Result: better yields… and fewer deferrals.

In summer

Hemoglobin tends to drop slightly.

Heat and hydration cause hemodilution (more plasma → lower apparent hemoglobin).
Platelet yields can also be a bit lower due to changes in blood viscosity.

And what about white blood cells?

They’re often more numerous in winter, when our immune system is naturally more active against seasonal infections

These natural variations remind us how finely our physiology adapts to its environment.

For blood collection teams, understanding these dynamics helps anticipate needs and understand the variability of quality control data results.

Even our cells live in tune with the seasons!”

Maxime Dely: Do the Seasons Influence the Quality of Our Blood Donations?