Giving Blood and exercising

We talked about 'giving back' a while ago and blood donations figured prominently. Here are some tips I received in an email about donating blood and exercising:

When you donate blood, you give 1 pint (about 10 percent of your total blood volume). In doing so, you temporarily decrease the oxygen-carrying capacity of your blood by 10 percent. Your body will compensate by replacing the fluid volume within 48 hours, while the hemoglobin will be replaced in one week to ten days. It is important to note, however, that until your hemoglobin has been replaced, your cardiovascular system will adapt by increasing your heart rate for any level of exercise.

Tips for Exercise and Blood Donation

No strenuous exercise before or after donating. If you exercise before donating, be sure to drink even more fluids to replace what you will lose during your workout.

Recreational endurance athletes who donate blood should skip training that day and the next while re-hydrating with lots of fluid.

If you choose to exercise, you might notice a decrease in performance until the hemoglobin is replaced. Try to give blood on a rest day or keep the workout light.

Be sure to wait at least 2 weeks before entering any kind of performance event.

Frequent blood donation can sometimes lead to iron deficiency, which will definitely affect your workouts. Check with your doctor for a simple iron test.

Check out this informative article from The American Red Cross about giving blood: http://www.givelife2.org/donor/faq.asp

Excellent information.

I donate blood about four times a year, and have noticed that a hike soon after a donation kicks my butt a lot more than it normally would. I've wondered just how long it really takes to recover. Thanks!

Excellent information. I stopped donating myself while I was racing bicycles. It was too taxing.

Then again, we'd donate every 8 weeks in college... and then get drunk on 1 or 2 beers

Tim

"Donate? My blood?

Actually, I'm here to take some blood...."

I donated blood once but really felt the negative (low hemoglobin) effects for 2-3 weeks afterward. I'd love to be able to be one of those regular donors--how cool to be a member of the "One-gallon club"!

They remove the same amount of blood whether you weigh 120 or 220. Likely that plays a role in how one is affected.

Bob Kittredge said:

Excellent information.

I donate blood about four times a year, and have noticed that a hike soon after a donation kicks my butt a lot more than it normally would. I've wondered just how long it really takes to recover. Thanks!

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Yeah, this was good info for me, as I'm going to try some 14K'ers in Colorado this summer.

Stinkyfeet said:

They remove the same amount of blood whether you weigh 120 or 220. Likely that plays a role in how one is affected.

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Absolutely, and I think they do people on the lighter end a disservice to not mention that. But I guess it's hard enough to get people to donate these days. I'm a regular donor, (pushing 14 gallons), and I see a lot of 'emergency' email appeals for blood. We even have to import blood from Europe.

volume

During donations nowadays blood is wieghed during donation--volume removed is based on person's hematocrit, generally the volume for an acceptable donor is 300ml and ~575 grams


FWIW--its not a liter --and varies person to person-this is to make it easier on the donor and make the product processing time more efficient.

Sabrina La Fave, BSMT, ASCP !!!! (its my yob, man!)
www.ascp.org

For most males, giving up some iron along with the blood donation is a good thing as the body tends to accumulate it.

una_dogger said:

During donations nowadays blood is wieghed during donation--volume removed is based on person's hematocrit, generally the volume for an acceptable donor is 300ml and ~575 grams


FWIW--its not a liter --and varies person to person-this is to make it easier on the donor and make the product processing time more efficient.

Sabrina La Fave, BSMT, ASCP !!!! (its my yob, man!)
www.ascp.org

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In NY, the say something like, approximately 1 pint (about .5 liters). I've done it many times, and I've never seen them choose different sized bags for lighter people, or set the weights differently, so I'm very surprised to hear this!

The problem I see here is, if someone needs a pint of blood, they wouldn't want a short one!

Tom Rankin said:

Yeah, this was good info for me, as I'm going to try some 14K'ers in Colorado this summer.

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I think for those you want them to give you the blood, no? Nothing like a little extra oxygen capacity out there!

I've never given the after-effects a thought. Thanks for the info.

Donor (and son of a retired blood-sucker)

p.s. Anyone else make the tech nervous by routinely watching the needle go in? It's fun to see them contemplate the imminent need to catch me . . .

sardog1 said:

p.s. Anyone else make the tech nervous by routinely watching the needle go in? It's fun to see them contemplate the imminent need to catch me . . .

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I like when I have to go talk to a supervisor because my heart rate is so low.

I've donated every three months for many years - they drive their bus right up to the office where I work. They like me since I'm O Neg. - universal donor. I give in the morning and always work out that afternoon or evening, vigorously and without appreciable fall-off. I have not noticed any effect on hikes the next weekend either, and they have been numerous. So, it must be possible to develop a tolerance. (I do make a point to drink up afterwards.)

At my last check-up, however, my MD noted that my iron level was a bit low and figured the regular donations were the cause. She suggested emphasizing iron-rich foods or maybe a supplement, but I've been lax about that. Useful reminder!

I do go in for the occasional distance race - 25K XC in Rangeley in a couple of weeks - and it does seem sensible to avoid giving blood within two weeks beforehand (and I won't).

Amicus said:

I've donated every three months for many years .......
At my last check-up, however, my MD noted that my iron level was a bit low and figured the regular donations were the cause. She suggested emphasizing iron-rich foods or maybe a supplement, but I've been lax about that. Useful reminder!

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Ditto here Amicus, on both counts, except I have been slowing down of late, so maybe it is the blood-letting and not aging? I do not eat meat, so I try to eat lots of spinach and broccoli, and now I take an iron supplement. Thanks for initiating this thread, Tom Rankin.

Dr. Dasypodidae said:

Ditto here Amicus, on both counts, except I have been slowing down of late, so maybe it is the blood-letting and not aging? I do not eat meat, so I try to eat lots of spinach and broccoli, and now I take an iron supplement. Thanks for initiating this thread, Tom Rankin.

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No problem! I also take iron supplements, since I was rejected once due to low iron levels.

Sardog, they always tell me to look away, but after watching my first wife have a C-Section, nothing bothers me anymore! Are you sitting when they put the needle in? In NY, we're on a cot.

They use the same size bags, Tom, they just drop it on a scale as its filling. It needs to reach a certain mass by a certain time. Otherwise, its tossed -- its neat what goes on behind the scenes. Blood donors are awesome people, and even if their blood is not used, the centers are sure to not let on -- because it can feel discouraging for the donor.

Also, whole blood is no longer transfused. Packed red blood cells are what recipients are transfused with. Your blood is washed and separated and broken down into many useful components. Plasma is separated from your blood, and coagulation factors required for blood clotting are separated and purified to make other needed blood products.

For those who donate, please consider platelet phoresis, platelets are in critical shortage and those who need them need approx 6 units everyfew days to maintain blood clotting. I believe Westchester Medical Center is a phoresis site, Tom.

Tom, Thanks for posting this! And Sabrina as well as others, Thanks for the great info! I used to donate once or twice a year and had moved it up to four times a year last summer. During 9/11 I tried to donate and they were swamped, so now its a concious effort I keep on my outlook schedule.Because I feel many folks lose sight of the current need. Not that people don't want to help but I think it just slips from their busy schedules. If I have something like the Bonds six-pack on my hike schedule I will slide when I donate but I don't hesitate to hike 4K's the weekend after less aggressively. I'm very glad I can give and enjoy doing it. I've given at four different locations in my general area and a the same very pleasant nurse was at each donation. She would remember the people that she had met and where. Its nice that they are so appreciative and don't just act like its "just a job". Kudos to all that collect donations and all that donate if they can! Give Life!

Rik said:

I like when I have to go talk to a supervisor because my heart rate is so low.

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Hehe, I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets that - between my low HR and low blood pressure

Amicus said:

I've donated every three months for many years - they drive their bus right up to the office where I work. They like me since I'm O Neg. - universal donor. I give in the morning and always work out that afternoon or evening, vigorously and without appreciable fall-off. I have not noticed any effect on hikes the next weekend either, and they have been numerous. So, it must be possible to develop a tolerance. (I do make a point to drink up afterwards.)...

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I try to donate every 56 days, and like Amicus I've never noticed any effect on endurance or performance - I always thought that it was as much psychological as physical. Of course, my normal performance is somewhat less than "world-class", so I may not notice it like someone who's a finely-honed athlete...