The functions of the blood and why it should be free of aggregation
From our observations, light therapy illlumination of the blood clearly removes major impediments to blood flow by disaggregating the red blood cells (RBC). From observations, it also reduces the viscosity of the blood (reducing its thickness and hence improves its flow).
To appreciate what the implications are, let us look into the vital functions of blood and why the system should not be impeded from performing its functions.
The blood performs many important functions within the body, including:
- Supply of oxygen to tissues (bound to haemoglobin, carried in RBCs)
- Supply of nutrients such as glucose, amino acids and fatty acids. These are dissolved in the blood or bound to plasma.
- Removal of waste such as carbon dioxide, urea and lactic acid.
- Immunological functions, including the circulation of white blood cells and the detection of foreign material by antibodies.
- Blood clotting or coagulation as part of the body's self-repair mechanism.
- Performing messenger functions, including the transport of hormones and the signalling of tissue damage.
- Regulation of body pH (measure of acidity).
- Regulation of core body temperature
- Hydraulic (fluid mechanical properties) functions, and several more functions.
When RBCs aggregate, and the flow hampered when combined with high viscosity, the roles of the blood are compromised. The body gets into an abnormal physiological process for a reason. RBC aggregation may serve a homeostatic function of maintaining internal equilibrium by adjusting to an abnormal condition. [1] The abnormal condition could be the presence of some form of inflammation or health condition that causes the body to respond in this way, as we shall get more specific later.
Notwithstanding the impediments to specific functions, there is little question that aggregation simply makes the blood system less efficient in moving the RBCs and plasma to the various corners of the body.
References
1. J J Bishop, A S Popel, M. Intaglietta and P C Johnson, “Rheological effects of red blood cell aggregation in the venous network: A review of recent studies”, Biorheology, Vol 38 (2001), 263–274.
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