This color might be everywhere, but it doesn’t belong your menstrual blood, according to Dr. Ross. These small pieces of tissue, or clots, in the blood are not a cause for concern. This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional. Human blood contains hemoglobin, which is a complex protein molecule in red blood cells. Hormonal changes and health conditions can also affect the color and texture of period blood. I love the way you present the most interesting information. These vessels absorb some oxygen, though the icefish does have gills for absorbing oxygen as well. Susan Bailey from South Yorkshire, UK on May 05, 2013: Amazing hub. Understanding the meaning of the blood test results is essential if you want to know the exact nature of your illness. It belongs to a group of chemicals known as sulfonamides. Answer: Hemocyanin is an example of a metalloprotein (a protein that contains a metal). RevolverOcelot, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 License. However, very heavy bleeding or large clots can be a sign of menorrhagia. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media. The colors have different wavelengths and energies. There is the capacity for each red blood cell to hold 4 oxygen molecules at a time. A hemocyanin molecule contains two copper atoms, which together bind to one oxygen molecule. Discolored urine is often caused by medications, certain foods or food dyes. The blue appearance results from the behavior of light as it enters and leaves the body, however, and not from the color of the blood. The slide may have been contaminated with a chemical or there may be a medication or internal condition in your body that is causing the green color. Urine of an abnormal color appears different from the usual straw-yellow color. It's composed of dead white blood cells, bacteria, other cell types, proteins, and fluid. Not all women experience lochia after giving birth. Blood that has had time to oxidize appears darker. In some countries, its name is spelled haemocyanin. However, scientists don't know whether vanabins actually transport oxygen in a sea cucumber's body. A hemoglobin molecule is a complex structure made of four globular polypeptide chains that are joined together, as shown in the illustration above. Hi, Kristen. This pigment is colorless when deoxygenated and pink-violet in color when oxygenated. It's interesting that different species have developed different solutions to the problem of distributing oxygen throughout the body. Voted up and shared. See more. Using hormonal birth control can lower estrogen levels in the body, which can lead to a lighter flow with a pinkish hue during periods. But green snot isn’t always a reason to run to your doctor. THANKS....................... Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on April 09, 2014: Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on January 22, 2014: Thanks for the comment, luisj305. It will be interesting to see what future research reveals about respiratory pigments. Insects are arthropods with pale yellow, pale green, or colorless hemolymph. In addition, bilirubin collects in the urine during jaundice, causing the fluid to become dark. They are typically used to check if drugs exist in a persons system, if medications for a disease work, if there are any mineral imbalance within the body and if the organs are working appropriately. The color is typically a sign of old blood or blood that has taken longer to leave the uterus and has had time to oxidize, first turning brown or dark red and then eventually becoming black. The color of a person’s period blood can relay vital health information. The deep color may merely mean that the blood has been in the uterus for a while but hasn’t oxidized yet. Other symptoms of a vaginal blockage can include: Like black blood, brown or dark red is a sign of old blood, and it may appear at the beginning or end of a period. She often writes about the scientific basis of disease. I appreciate your comment, the vote and the share very much. The insect in the photo above is a Peleides blue morpho butterfly (Morpho peleides). Blood that mixes with cervical fluid can also appear orange. Jusben, via morguefile.com, morgueFile free license. The iron joins reversibly with oxygen. Insects generally have colorless blood since they have no respiratory pigment. I would be amazed if I were to ever bleed out green or some other color besides red. Lochia is not a cause for concern and is the body’s way of expelling excess blood and tissue from the uterus. Infections, pregnancy, and, in rare cases, cervical cancer, can cause unusual blood color or irregular bleeding. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on July 02, 2017: Hi. In humans, a rare condition called sulfhemoglobinemia causes the blood to appear green. The alpha and beta chains have a different sequence of amino acids. Brown blood or spotting can sometimes also be an early sign of pregnancy that doctors refer to as implantation bleeding. Thank you very much, Martie. The color blood with hexadecimal color code #8a0303 is a medium dark shade of red. Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love. Blood in veins isn't blue, even though in illustrations of the circulatory system the veins are traditionally colored blue. The coloring matter of blood (hemochrome) is largely due to the protein in the blood responsible for oxygen transport. Sea cucumbers extract vanadium from sea water and concentrate it in their bodies. For example, orange or grey blood can sometimes indicate a vaginal infection. Dark-colored blood, called venous blood, is dark because it has become deoxygenated after having traveled through the body before returning to the heart drained of oxygen. Blood-red definition, of the deep-red color of blood: a fiery, blood-red sunset. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on January 15, 2018: Thank you very much for the kind comment, Alyssa. Aradia refers to Tavros and herself (the two being the lowest on the hemospectrum) as \"rust bloods,\" while Terezi, Vriska and Equius have all been referred to as \"blue bloods.\"\"Lowbloods\" is used to refer to the lower half of the spectrum, and \"highbloods\" is used to r… Broccoli is a nutritious food, but it's high in natural nitrates which may contribute to methemoglobinemia in some people. Bile emulsifies fats in the small intestine and makes them easier to digest. This antigen family contains many members, so its absence in golden blood is interesting to researchers. Blood that stays in the uterus long enough will react with oxygen (oxidize). Bilirubin collects in the skin and the whites of the eyes, causing these areas to turn yellow. This may be due to a mixture of blood and cervical fluids. Not all blood is red. Very interesting content. Question: What is the color of cow and bull blood? Richard Wheeler, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 License. The color red also often represents bloodshed. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on May 05, 2013: Thank you, Sue!! Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on November 23, 2017: Hi, Missy. In a methemoglobin molecule, the iron has been changed from a form that has a +2 charge to a form that has a +3 charge. When the iron is in this form, hemoglobin can't transport oxygen and the cells can't make enough energy. I would be amazed if I bled green blood, too! Your period is something you can’t really ignore, so it’s only natural to wonder when it changes in some way, shape, or form. It embodies so many wonderful qualities, including love, kindness, and familiarity. You may see dark red blood upon waking during your period or after you’ve been lying down for a while. What a fascinating topic, Alicia. Could you give more information about spider blood? The blood may sometimes appear pale yellow, which is believed to be due to the presence of colored molecules from food. Therefore the veins look blue to us. Period Blood Colors and Textures: What Do They Mean? Are these all known colours of blood or are there even more colours? When hemoglobin gives up its oxygen to the cells, it changes from bright red to a dark red or maroon color. (Plasma is blood with the cells removed. In the color-coded illustration of a hemoglobin molecule shown above, the red polypeptide chains are known as alpha chains, the blue polypeptide chains are known as beta ones, and the green units are the heme groups. Black blood is something that carry a lot of significance. Question: I'm doing a poster on why humans have red blood and why spiders have blue blood. Spiritual meaning of the color red — blood. In Christianity, red wine is used during communion as a symbol for the shedding of Jesus’ blood. Now I know the different color of the blood. I have a question, however. The pigment is found in the liquid hemolymph instead of being trapped in cells. Simply put, the color red can’t be described in a word or two. 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. It's present in everyone's blood but is normally at a very low level. A doctor must be consulted. The vanadium is used to make proteins called vanabins, which become yellow when they're oxygenated. Please see your physician as soon as possible. Dark red or brown vaginal discharge that occurs after giving birth is called lochia, or postpartum bleeding. Hemocyanin is the respiratory pigment in molluscs (such as snails, slugs, clams, octopuses, and squids), and in some arthropods (such as crabs, lobsters, and spiders). Methemoglobinemia is a disorder in which too much methemoglobin is made. The color of menstrual blood throughout your cycle can mean a variety of things. The presence of the yellow color depends on what the insect has been eating. The pale colors which are sometimes seen in the liquid are thought to be due to the presence of pigmented food molecules that have entered the hemolymph. Question: The nurse taking my blood said that high triglycerides cause the blood to have a milky appearance and liver problems cause a yellow cast. Blood color of dialysis patients can be seen routinely. And if so, what color? I have never read anything about the blood developing a yellow cast, however, despite its increased level of bilirubin. Light that hits the veins and their deoxygenated blood and then emerges to reach our eyes is more likely to be in the high-energy blue region of the spectrum than in the low-energy red region of the spectrum. The more oxygen the red cells are carrying, the brighter red blood appears. An Ob/Gyn offers a guide to what the different colors of period blood might mean, plus when to be concerned. Jaundice is a disorder that is also known as icterus. (Red blood cells exist for only about 120 days.) Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on September 28, 2016: Thank you, dhivya. If a person has severe sulfhemoglobinemia, he or she may need a blood transfusion. They also have a larger blood volume than fish of a comparable size that have red blood as well as more blood vessels in their skin. Having taught science, I knew most of this, but I'm willing to bet many who read this will find this to be new information that they were not aware of. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on October 19, 2016: I'm glad that the article helped you, Charlie. A lot can change from month to month in your own cycle, especially (don’t be scared!) The animals have a large heart that pumps a lot of blood with each beat. Over time, the discharge will then become lighter in both color and amount. Blood that is not red may indicate a health problem. The hierarchy follows a rainbow, with red being the lowest and fuchsia being the highest.There are several terms covering chunks of the hemospectrum. 10. Please tell me about golden blood. Great information. Symptoms of acquired methemoglobinemia may include fatigue, lack of energy, headache, shortness of breath, and a bluish color to the skin (cyanosis). All animals have developed a method to transport oxygen, however. The presence of the bilirubin in the bile (a breakdown product of the hemoglobin in red blood cells that are normally destroyed after a useful life of several weeks) is generally responsible for stool color. Although orange period blood or discharge does not always indicate an infection, it is a good idea for a person to see a doctor or gynecologist for an evaluation. The liquid is usually colorless. The different wavelengths are affected in different ways as they hit the skin and the cells under the surface layer of the skin. Pus exuding from an open wound can be white, though. Great. This gives rise to a major egg yolk protein called vitellin. Learn more about your body and health according to the color of your blood! Hemoglobin is located in the red blood cells of humans. Women may also experience irregular periods after giving birth due to changes in hormone levels. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on March 18, 2013: Thank you very much for the comment, thebiologyofleah. Hi, Bill. It's blue in its oxygenated form and colorless in its deoxygenated form. All blood in the body is red, although the shade of red varies. Abnormally colored urine may be cloudy, dark, or blood-colored. Blood leaving the heart, called arterial blood, is pumped from the lungs back to the heart by the pulmonary artery, and it contains a large amount of oxygen for delivery around the body. Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. It has the ability to rev desire; and not surprisingly when it is the color of fire, danger, and blood on one hand; and love, sexuality and passion on the other. Blood containing chlorocruorin may be green but isn't necessarily so. Gray's Anatomy, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain image. The color comes from dead white blood cells and other waste products. You should ask your doctor whether this happens. Answer: Cattle are mammals, like us, so they have red blood containing hemoglobin. Doctors usually prescribe antibiotics to treat bacterial vaginosis. Wat about white color in a human blood? The concentration of a yellow substance in the blood called bilirubin increases in jaundice. Some people may find that their blood stays bright red throughout their period. Many factors can affect the flow of periods, including diet…. In this system, blood travels through vessels during only part of its journey around the body. The doctor will be able to give you information about the condition of your son's blood. Diagnosis depends on the consistency, smell, and color of the discharge. 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