Human blood is red because hemoglobin, which is carried in the blood and functions to transport oxygen, is iron-rich and red in color.
Share on Pinterest It is a myth that deoxygenated blood is blue; all blood in the human body is red. Human blood contains hemoglobin, which is a complex protein molecule in red blood cells. Hemoglobin contains iron. The iron reacts with oxygen, giving blood its red color.
When you think of blood, chances are you think of the color red. But blood actually comes in a variety of colors, including red, blue, green, and purple. This rainbow of colors can be traced to the protein molecules that carry oxygen in the blood.
Reasons That Veins Are Blue
The primary reason veins are blue is the way wavelengths of light hit the skin. White light can carry colors and waves with varying lengths. Red has the ability to travel the farthest. Violet waves are the shortest, and all the other colors fall somewhere in between.
It is the iron in hemoglobin specifically that gives blood its red colour. The actual colour ranges from crimson to a dark brown-blood depending on how oxygenated the blood is, and may have a slightly orange hue.
Oxygenated (arterial) blood is bright red, while dexoygenated (venous) blood is dark reddish-purple.
Darkened blood color is often observed in critically ill patients generally because of decreased oxygen saturation, but little is known about the other factors responsible for the color intensity.
Maybe you've heard that blood is blue in our veins because when headed back to the lungs, it lacks oxygen. But this is wrong; human blood is never blue. The bluish color of veins is only an optical illusion. Blue light does not penetrate as far into tissue as red light.
Bulging veins can occur due to: Temporarily rising blood pressure and/or body temperature. When you're exercising or working with your hands, blood flow in the area increases. Veins also swell in warmer conditions, as the body sends blood toward the surface of the skin to cool down.
Veins appear blue because blue light is reflected back to our eyes. ... Blue light does not penetrate human tissue as deeply as red light does. As a result, veins that are close to the surface of the skin will be more likely to reflect blue light back to the eye.”
One of the world's rarest blood types is Rh-null. Fewer than 50 people in the world have this blood type. It's so rare that it's sometimes called “golden blood.”
Then in 1961, a person with “golden blood” was discovered. Called golden because of its rarity and huge scientific significance – rather than its colour – it is the rarest known human blood type.
It's red because of the red blood cells (hemoglobin). Blood does change color somewhat as oxygen is absorbed and replenished. But it doesn't change from red to blue.
These observations may have led you to question the actual color of blood. So… is blood ever blue? Well, the quick answer is no, human blood is always red.
Furthermore, the blood in human veins is also not blue. Blood is always red. Blood that has been oxygenated (mostly flowing through the arteries) is bright red and blood that has lost its oxygen (mostly flowing through the veins) is dark red.
Genetics: Visible veins in your hands could be part of your makeup, unfortunately. You may notice others in your family who's hands show veins in the same way. If this is the case, the veins most likely don't signify a health concern, but you may opt for a cosmetic procedure to reduce the appearance.
In many cases, vein popping out is normal to see in certain situations. Bulging leg veins don't often indicate an underlying health problem or confirm a critical medical issue. If you notice bulging leg veins in your legs, don't immediately panic.
This bulging is neither good nor bad but simply a result of normal physiological mechanisms that result from the rise in arterial blood pressure during exertion.
Sulfhemoglobinemia is a rare condition in which there is excess sulfhemoglobin (SulfHb) in the blood. The pigment is a greenish derivative of hemoglobin which cannot be converted back to normal, functional hemoglobin. It causes cyanosis even at low blood levels.
Did anyone know that some animals have blue blood, especially when it is exposed to oxygen? Can you guess what animals might have blue blood? Lobsters, crabs, pillbugs, shrimp, octopus, crayfish, scallops, barnacles, snails, small worms (except earthworms), clams, squid, slugs, mussels, horseshoe crabs, most spiders.
Thick blood is caused by heavy proteins, or by too much blood in the circulation. Too many red cells, white cells, and platelets will result in blood thickening. Another cause is an imbalance in the blood clotting system.
Pink Blood
This lighter shade usually means that the blood has mixed with your cervical fluid. Sometimes pink menstrual blood may indicate low estrogen levels in the body. Some causes of low estrogen include being on hormonal birth control that doesn't contain estrogen or perimenopause.
Constricted veins
Constricted vessels can be caused by the issues explained above (dehydration and vein collapse), but can also be related to what you drink. Constriction of the blood vessel is when the vessel is squeezed tight, making the diameter smaller. The main culprit in constricted vessels is caffeine.