If you were to look under the microscope at a sample of your blood, you would see scores of red, doughnut-shaped cells known as erythrocytes. Red blood cells number in the millions per cubic milliliter of blood and are the most numerous cell type in the body, according to University of Maryland Medical Center.

Platelets protect you from losing too much blood when you get a wound. Found in your blood, platelets are irregularly shaped and sticky with no color. When you get injured, they congregate at the site and form a clot to halt bleeding.

Laboratory blood tests can help doctors to diagnose problems in their patients. While there is no such thing as a "standard blood test," there are several common blood test panels that your doctor may recommend. These can be ordered as part of a routine checkup, or may be ordered if the patient complains of symptoms.

Anemia is a condition in which the body cannot produce enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the tissues and organs. There are many causes of anemia, the most common being iron deficiency anemia, vitamin deficiency anemia and anemia due to chronic disease, according to MayoClinic.com.

D-Ribose is a special sugar made in your body, but it also comes as a supplement. D-ribose's main claim to fame is that it delivers energy rapidly and helps athletes and strenuous exercisers recover from their workouts faster. D-ribose behaves in a similar fashion in diabetics and non-diabetics.

The muscles make creatine phosphate from creatine so they can use the phosphate to help make the energy that they need, but when they remove the phosphate, creatine phosphate changes to creatinine. Normally, the creatinine is sent to the kidneys.

The American Red Cross explains that a single pint of donated blood can help as many as three individuals in a health crisis. The need for donated blood is generally continuous and increases in the event of a natural disaster.

Leptin is commonly associated with weight fluctuations and appetite. The chemical leptin is a hormone, produced naturally in your body to signal the brain when you are full from eating.

Endurance exercise, such as jogging, swimming and cycling, increases your blood volume over time. Blood-volume adaptations begin after a single bout of exercise and amplify within weeks of training. Enhanced blood volume enhances your exercise performance and cardiovascular fitness.

Blood is a highly specialized form of connective tissue composed of several cellular elements and a fluid element. The cellular elements of blood determine its categorization as red or white blood cells, or as platelets. The fluid element is known as blood plasma.

Thrombocytopenia is the term used to describe a low platelet count. Platelets are blood cells responsible for clotting blood and preventing excessive bleeding.

Your legs consist of a number of veins that can become thickened and hardened over time, according to ePodiatry.com. When this occurs, you may experience poor leg circulation, which causes pain and cramping in the legs.