Recording a blood donation
nmstonechick
Posts: 2
Does anyone know if there's a way of recording a blood donation (which takes about 600 calories)?
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Replies
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Really? Your body will make up the fluid levels on its own in a few hours so what's the point of recording it?0
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That 600 cals is burned over a number of days in replenishing.0
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It's in the food database - search for blood donation.0
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dammitjanet0161 wrote: »Really? Your body will make up the fluid levels on its own in a few hours so what's the point of recording it?
It's not just fluid!0 -
dammitjanet0161 wrote: »Really? Your body will make up the fluid levels on its own in a few hours so what's the point of recording it?
It is a serious question asked before.
You are supposed to eat after you donate blood. I say just get those 600 calories more that day or so and then you'll be fine.0 -
I have to say, this is the first I have every heard of this. I do not doubt that you body expends a few more calories to make up for the blood, but I question the 600 calorie figure. If one pint equal 600 calories like they are claiming, why are trauma victims, who lose much more, not weight significantly less in the weeks following the trauma than they did prior to the trauma?0
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I have to say, this is the first I have every heard of this. I do not doubt that you body expends a few more calories to make up for the blood, but I question the 600 calorie figure. If one pint equal 600 calories like they are claiming, why are trauma victims, who lose much more, not weight significantly less in the weeks following the trauma than they did prior to the trauma?
Google it - it's well known and understood that is the approximate amount of energy it takes you replenish the lost blood over a matter of weeks.
Normally they give transfusions to major trauma victims!0 -
I have to say, this is the first I have every heard of this. I do not doubt that you body expends a few more calories to make up for the blood, but I question the 600 calorie figure. If one pint equal 600 calories like they are claiming, why are trauma victims, who lose much more, not weight significantly less in the weeks following the trauma than they did prior to the trauma?
Google it - it's well known and understood that is the approximate amount of energy it takes you replenish the lost blood over a matter of weeks.
Normally they give transfusions to major trauma victims!
Yes, they do give transfusions to trauma victims, however it is not typically replenished at the same rate they lost it.
Also- I did google it. The only places that listed a calorie burn for the blood loss were weightloss sites. Somehow I get the feeling the burn number is extremely over estimated.0 -
What is your rationale for tracking it? Do you want to make sure that you eat enough to make up for it, or are you doing this frequently enough to consider it 'exercise'?0
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Your Google skills are lacking! Mayo Clinic and Red Cross for example..I have to say, this is the first I have every heard of this. I do not doubt that you body expends a few more calories to make up for the blood, but I question the 600 calorie figure. If one pint equal 600 calories like they are claiming, why are trauma victims, who lose much more, not weight significantly less in the weeks following the trauma than they did prior to the trauma?
Google it - it's well known and understood that is the approximate amount of energy it takes you replenish the lost blood over a matter of weeks.
Normally they give transfusions to major trauma victims!
Yes, they do give transfusions to trauma victims, however it is not typically replenished at the same rate they lost it.
Also- I did google it. The only places that listed a calorie burn for the blood loss were weightloss sites. Somehow I get the feeling the burn number is extremely over estimated.
You having a "feeling" is really an uninformed guess.
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Your Google skills are lacking! Mayo Clinic and Red Cross for example..I have to say, this is the first I have every heard of this. I do not doubt that you body expends a few more calories to make up for the blood, but I question the 600 calorie figure. If one pint equal 600 calories like they are claiming, why are trauma victims, who lose much more, not weight significantly less in the weeks following the trauma than they did prior to the trauma?
Google it - it's well known and understood that is the approximate amount of energy it takes you replenish the lost blood over a matter of weeks.
Normally they give transfusions to major trauma victims!
Yes, they do give transfusions to trauma victims, however it is not typically replenished at the same rate they lost it.
Also- I did google it. The only places that listed a calorie burn for the blood loss were weightloss sites. Somehow I get the feeling the burn number is extremely over estimated.
You having a "feeling" is really an uninformed guess.
On what mayo lclinic page is that found on, because I certainly can not find it? Simply stating it is there is not proof enough. Same with the Red Cross. What specific page does it say that on?0 -
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Thank you for donating!0
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I feel like the Blood Donation Services should be advertising this calorie burn - they'd probably motivate more people to donate haha. I donate regularly and have never heard of this, but it makes sense. Id be curious to know over hat time period those calories are burned. I don't think it is necessary to record it - but also understand the feeling of wanting to record and track everything. I could see wanting to look back to see if there is a relationship between your appetite/calories consumed, and energy levels/level of exercise around the time you gave blood too - not just for recording cal loss.0
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It's a charitable contribution. Why would you try to record it?0
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Liftng4Lis wrote: »It's a charitable contribution. Why would you try to record it?
For an excuse to eat an extra cookie? Lol.0 -
Exactly. It's something that happens infrequently enough to just donate it, have some cookies and juice, and move on.
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Last time I researched it was 500-600 kcals if I recall but that is spread over 10-14 days while your body uses extra energy to recreate the blood cells. That's less than 40 kcals/day over two weeks so, I wouldn't bother since the manufacturer's calorie counts are probably out more than that for a day.
Thanks for giving blood!0 -
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Funny enough when my Mum received a life saving 8 units she wasn't too bothered what people's motivation to donate was, whether altruism or any other reason.
If you are healthy please donate.
It might even be good for your own health:
http://www.medicaldaily.com/why-donating-blood-good-your-health-246379
If you want to log the calories used to replace your blood cells... why not? You would log a 600 or 650 calorie exercise session.0 -
I feel like the Blood Donation Services should be advertising this calorie burn - they'd probably motivate more people to donate haha. I donate regularly and have never heard of this, but it makes sense. Id be curious to know over hat time period those calories are burned. I don't think it is necessary to record it - but also understand the feeling of wanting to record and track everything. I could see wanting to look back to see if there is a relationship between your appetite/calories consumed, and energy levels/level of exercise around the time you gave blood too - not just for recording cal loss.
I'm sorry but that is just a ridiculous reason to donate blood. You want to burn calories? Go for a run.
If burning 600 cals is someone's reason to donate or not, it could save a life.0 -
I've heard 500 calories for 1 Whole Blood unit. However, the burn comes from your body replenishing those blood cells, which happens over the next 2-4 weeks. You're not doing yourself any favors eating 500 extra cals the day of a donation like you would eat back exercise calories.
HOWEVER: I highly recommend eating at or just below maintenance in the day or two after a donation. A hefty deficit + blood donation = feeling faint, dizzy, etc. I actually donated yesterday. I'm set to .5 lbs/loss per week, so I'm just making sure I eat all of my calories the next few days (vs staying under).
Note that this is only the case for whole blood donation. I have found very little information about double red or platelets.0 -
I just put a notation in the 'Food Notes' on the diary. The donated blood weighs about a pound, so the note explains (reminds me) that any weight loss is probably attributable to that, rather than fat loss. The cookies & juice, at several hundred calories, might put me over my calorie budget for the day, so the note lets me know all is well there, too.
But, no, I don't log the donation anywhere else.
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I think you can go in the "Exercise" tab and type in 'blood donation'.0
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Last time I researched it was 500-600 kcals if I recall but that is spread over 10-14 days while your body uses extra energy to recreate the blood cells. That's less than 40 kcals/day over two weeks so, I wouldn't bother since the manufacturer's calorie counts are probably out more than that for a day.
Thanks for giving blood!
^THIS!!! You don't burn the calories GIVING blood. You burn the calories REPLENISHING the lost blood over the next two weeks. This amounts to a burn that is not worth recording on a daily basis.
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I think that 470mls of blood possibly / probably has a calorific value of anywhere from 500-650kcals (I don't know where this comes from, but it's quite a popular 'fact'). It's not 'burnt' as such, just lost. It takes about 48hrs to replace the fluid, which is 50% water and 6-8 weeks to replace the cells. This does mean that your bone marrow has to work harder and the remaining cells have to work harder as there is less of them. So somewhere along the lines there is probably a burn of sorts. Maybe the kcal is kind of worked out on this replacement / extra work.
Saying that, there are far better motivations for giving blood, like saving a life, lowering your cholesterol, keeping your bone marrow working, decreasing iron levels, decreasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
I'm a big supporter of blood donation, I wouldn't log it, or eat back the calories (it's fluid so drink it back in water). But if you need other reasons other than saving a life to give, read my blog, which funnily enough I updated earlier today.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MissLotte
Thanks to everyone who gives blood, whatever your reasons. x0
This discussion has been closed.
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