red blood cell

Next stop is manufacturing, where the blood is spun at high speeds to separate out red blood cells from plasma.

People with beta thalassaemia struggle to produce enough haemoglobin, which is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body.

That forces the body to adapt by producing more oxygen-rich red blood cells, cells the athletes take with them when they return to lower levels, boosting performance by 1% to 2%.

Conditions like postpartum hemorrhage, which may require at least two units of red blood cells, can be deadly if not rapidly recognized and treated, Mr. Parra said.

Once the parasites reach maturity, they venture out into the bloodstream and infect red blood cells.