Effect of Blood donations

[Aussie Steve]

Had a nice chat to a doctor from the local Blood Bank this morning about the effects of blood donation and recovery time. He could offer no real advice other than to comment that 3 months between donations is a guideline for your haemoglobin to get back to normal levels. I know your spleen gives back a number of old red blood cells into circulation after blood loss, but he couldn't offer any advice on how long it would take a cyclist to approach their pre-donation level of fitness, etc.
Has anyone given blood?

 

[cyclist2]

Had a nice chat to a doctor from the local Blood Bank this morning about the effects of blood donation and recovery time. He could offer no real advice other than to comment that 3 months between donations is a guideline for your haemoglobin to get back to normal levels. I know your spleen gives back a number of old red blood cells into circulation after blood loss, but he couldn't offer any advice on how long it would take a cyclist to approach their pre-donation level of fitness, etc.
Has anyone given blood?

105 blood & plama donnations,heres my 2c worth, every 2weeks i donate plasma which means plasma is remouved from the blood and the blood is returned back to the body minus the the plasma, which keeps up the iron levels thus being able to donate at 2 week intervils, that said, after donnating and riding on a hot day dehydrated is deffintily not recomended, keep up the fluids, preffer water or fruit juice before and after donnating, other than that with a good diet no probs.note:im a recreational road and mtb rider

 

[sogood]

Had a nice chat to a doctor from the local Blood Bank this morning about the effects of blood donation and recovery time. He could offer no real advice other than to comment that 3 months between donations is a guideline for your haemoglobin to get back to normal levels. I know your spleen gives back a number of old red blood cells into circulation after blood loss, but he couldn't offer any advice on how long it would take a cyclist to approach their pre-donation level of fitness, etc.
Has anyone given blood?

Been donating for a long long time. I take the view and experience that for a healthy male who's Hb level is alway at the upper limits of normal, a 500ml donation is neither her nor there. It may reduce the O2 carrying capacity a bit but it's still in the normal range. The key for me is rehydration and eat meat so that the Fe store isn't depleted. Otherwise it has no effect on my body by the next day.

The 3 months limit is a safe rule of thumb to be applied across the population and has no special relevance to a fit healthy person. With fewer blood cells and lowered viscosity, my risk of DVT is also lower for a short while.

 

[Alex Simmons]

every 2weeks i donate plasma which means plasma is remouved from the blood and the blood is returned back to the body minus the the plasma

Is this legal (in a cycle racing sense)? I have no idea - hence the question.

 

[cyclist2]

Is this legal (in a cycle racing sense)? I have no idea - hence the question.

A saline dripper is used so the blood dosen't clot, a alcohole swab is used to dead'n the needle entry point,maybe the coffee after the donnation is on the banned list

 

[Aussie Steve]

Thanks HEAPS guys (and girls ??) for your comments and input...
yet another reason why this site is on My Favourites..................................you folk are all good value

 

[ric_stern/RST]

Been donating for a long long time. I take the view and experience that for a healthy male who's Hb level is alway at the upper limits of normal, a 500ml donation is neither her nor there. It may reduce the O2 carrying capacity a bit but it's still in the normal range. The key for me is rehydration and eat meat so that the Fe store isn't depleted. Otherwise it has no effect on my body by the next day.

donating blood has a significant negative effect on performance, as it takes about up to 6 weeks to replace the lost red cells. obviously, though, donating is good for the health of your nation.

ric

 

[cyclist2]

A saline dripper is used so the blood dosen't clot, a alcohole swab is used to dead'n the needle entry point,maybe the coffee after the donnation is on the banned list

sometimes i wear my HRM to compare with the one at the interview

 

[lumpy]

I donate every 8 weeks. My blood bank won't take it any sooner because it takes that long to replenish the RBC's.

I donate after a good ride and take it easy for the rest of the day. The next day I'm slower on the bike but that's ok. I figure someone needed the blood more than I did!

 

[joemw]

donating blood has a significant negative effect on performance, as it takes about up to 6 weeks to replace the lost red cells. obviously, though, donating is good for the health of your nation.

ric

How much blood do the vampires take when they are testing riders in or out of competition?

 

[kuan]

I just donated for the first time. The nurse told me hematocrit levels drop 3-4 points. I was already low at 42, due to increase in training volume I guess.

The next day I went out on a 4 mile run. Average was 10-15 BPM faster for the same pace.

A week later I was still a little slow. 1.5 hours into a workout and I felt real weak.

10 days later I feel OK. Almost matched my personal best on my 10k ski TT after 2 days rest.