Quote Originally Posted by Mad Pino Rage View Post
Random google search out of interest in this topic brings up dubious bits of info that your blood is taken out, sorted in a machine where the plasma is removed, and then the blood is reinjected into your body. Your body will fully replenish the plasma after 24 hours. Also, donating sperm earns you more money than donating plasma.
There was an article in GQ recently about sperm donors from the 70s and 80s being increasingly contacted by their children. The difference between sperm donation and plasma donation is that plasma goes to save people who won't ever wonder who you are, whereas children of anonymous sperm donation frequently wonder who their fathers are.

There are actually a number of services on the internet who match the anonymous donor info provided to women with donors (based on the date of donation, the clinic, etc.) The story in GQ was about him meeting with his child and the general awkwardness/reward of it. The moral was that what seemed like a harmless activity in college actually turned out to have a surprising impact later (not necessarily negative, mind you.) It's not something to be taken lightly or considered casual... blood donation, on the other hand, provides considerable more social benefit with absolutely no impact on the donor down the road.