(May 21, 2008)--A study finds that teenagers are more likely than older people to suffer complications from giving blood.
The American Red Cross says the complications, though rare, include dizziness, fainting and falls.
The study looked at more than 1.5 million donations in nine states and Puerto Rico.
There were complications with nearly 11 percent of donations made by 16- and 17-year-olds, and about 8 percent of donations by 18- and 19-year-olds.
It drops to under 3 percent of people 20 or older.
The study's lead author, Red Cross executive medical officer Dr. Anne Eder, says the risks of teens having a bad reaction to donating blood are small.
She says the study was done so donors could "know what to expect and we want them to have a good experience."
Teenagers now make up nearly 15 percent of the blood donors nationwide.
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