Donating blood burns 600-650 calories!

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  • Mandafaith87
    Mandafaith87 Posts: 2 Member
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    It does indeed burn that amount of calories for your body to replenish the blood you have lost. BUT........... the reason you have to wait 56 days is because that is how long it takes to replenish the blood you lost. So to be more precise 650 divided by 56 is about 11.5.
    So you could only really count 11.5 extra calories burned a day be giving blood.
  • phaerieblu
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    Doing a little more research on this, the 600-650 calories isn't "burned" in one day. It takes your body 6 to 8 weeks (in general) to fully replenish the blood you donate. Your body is burning a few additional calories each day as it works to replenish the blood - based on those numbers, assume 10 to 15 calories a day. It may be a few more within the first 72 hours and taper off over the subsequent weeks. Lots of additional calorie intake is not encouraged when you donate, but making sure you are getting plenty of fluids, protein, and sugars is important. Some additional calories will not hurt you in the long run, of course, and as should always be the case, listen to your body! If you're dizzy, I have found electrolyte supplements help the best (honestly, I like PediaPops!).

    I am a frequent donor and do find that I need a little extra the first day or two after donating. After that, everything goes back to normal. I suggest looking at the 600-650 calories as a small daily bonus over a period of time versus a huge deficit to fill immediately (even if that chocolate cake looks amazing! :)).
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
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    Wow, the next time they are crying because they are in a shortage, I may have to voice my opinion on this. They wouldn't be so short if they would accept ALL healthy blood. Boy that makes me mad

    Well, they got caught with their pants down in the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. In a documentary I saw, one blood bank spokesman actually said there was a "one in a million" chance that you could get AIDS from a blood transfusion. Oops. Now they're over-cautious. I couldn't donate for 3 years when I was traveling regularly to India on business. I was mostly hanging out in the office and staying in glorious hotels that rivalled any Hiltons in Europe where I'd stayed, and took anti-malaria pills. It' snot like I was bushwhacking through the Himalayas. Every trip got me deferred for a year. They do need to revisit some of their rules.

    600 calories, huh? That makes me feel better about the Nutter Butter cookies I always enjoy from their snack seleciton afterwards, I've been able to work out before donating, eat a healthy lunch, donate, and go back to pretty much a normal workout the next day, so I dont' miss any exercise.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    In Canada they won't accept blood from Homosexual donors. Not high-risk homosexual donors-ALL homosexual donors.

    Therefore they don't get my calories.

    it's the same way here in the U.S.
    it's a shame really :( there are so many people out there willing to give blood and help others, and they turn you down due to your sexual preferences.

    WTF!?!

    Further research suggests this only applies to men in the US, but I still say WTF!?!
  • MorgueBabe
    MorgueBabe Posts: 1,188 Member
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    They should use that on their posters. Give blood, it burns 600 calories! :laugh:

    totally
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
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    I'm British and not allowed to donate here in the states.

    Really? Well, I now feel better about the fact that I haven't gotten round to donating since I moved here.

    NM, I just confirmed it for myself. In fact, no one can give blood if they spent more than a cumulative 3 months in the UK between January 1, 1980, through December 31, 1996.
  • nellyett
    nellyett Posts: 436 Member
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    In Canada they won't accept blood from Homosexual donors. Not high-risk homosexual donors-ALL homosexual donors.

    Therefore they don't get my calories.

    it's the same way here in the U.S.
    it's a shame really :( there are so many people out there willing to give blood and help others, and they turn you down due to your sexual preferences.

    really??? that is probably one of the more ridiculous things I've ever heard of!! I know SO many people who live high risk lifestyles....and they are hetero...go figure!
  • Lexi507
    Lexi507 Posts: 79 Member
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    Do you think 100,000 Americans would agree with this stand? If so, we can start a petition at the White House petition site and if we get 100K signatures, they have to respond in a month.
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
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    In Canada they won't accept blood from Homosexual donors. Not high-risk homosexual donors-ALL homosexual donors.

    Therefore they don't get my calories.

    Gah!:huh:
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    Absolute nonsense.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    In Canada they won't accept blood from Homosexual donors. Not high-risk homosexual donors-ALL homosexual donors.

    Therefore they don't get my calories.

    Gah!:huh:

    The problem is how would you unobtrusively tell whether someone is high risk?
  • oorenfoo
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    In Canada they won't accept blood from Homosexual donors. Not high-risk homosexual donors-ALL homosexual donors.

    Therefore they don't get my calories.

    it's the same way here in the U.S.
    it's a shame really :( there are so many people out there willing to give blood and help others, and they turn you down due to your sexual preferences.

    I understand both sides, TBH. Don't get me wrong...I have absolutely NO problems with gay people. This is not one of those posts.

    It does seem wrong to stop homosexuals from donating because of their sexual preferences, almost discriminatory, in fact. On the other hand, there is a higher risk of certain diseases that would mean ALL donations from homosexuals would have to be rigorously check...then double checked. Imagine the strain, not to mention cost and time consumption, that would prove? Can you imagine the backlash is someone was to contract HIV?

    It's a tough call, either way, IMO. Definitely worth discussion.



    Inb4 homophobic hate speeches.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    In Canada they won't accept blood from Homosexual donors. Not high-risk homosexual donors-ALL homosexual donors.

    Therefore they don't get my calories.

    it's the same way here in the U.S.
    it's a shame really :( there are so many people out there willing to give blood and help others, and they turn you down due to your sexual preferences.

    really??? that is probably one of the more ridiculous things I've ever heard of!! I know SO many people who live high risk lifestyles....and they are hetero...go figure!

    In the U. S., users of illegal and some prescription drugs are barred from giving blood. So, I think, are people who've had hepatitis and certain other diseases. It's a matter of public health.

    I've never given blood because I've never met the weight minimum for women, which used to be 110.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    In Canada they won't accept blood from Homosexual donors. Not high-risk homosexual donors-ALL homosexual donors.

    Therefore they don't get my calories.

    Gah!:huh:

    The problem is how would you unobtrusively tell whether someone is high risk?

    Actually, it doesn't matter! Our entire blood supply is now screened, since, and I know this will shock everyone, heterosexuals can get HIV as well!
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    In Canada they won't accept blood from Homosexual donors. Not high-risk homosexual donors-ALL homosexual donors.

    Therefore they don't get my calories.

    it's the same way here in the U.S.
    it's a shame really :( there are so many people out there willing to give blood and help others, and they turn you down due to your sexual preferences.

    I understand both sides, TBH. Don't get me wrong...I have absolutely NO problems with gay people. This is not one of those posts.

    It does seem wrong to stop homosexuals from donating because of their sexual preferences, almost discriminatory, in fact. On the other hand, there is a higher risk of certain diseases that would mean ALL donations from homosexuals would have to be rigorously check...then double checked. Imagine the strain, not to mention cost and time consumption, that would prove? Can you imagine the backlash is someone was to contract HIV?

    It's a tough call, either way, IMO. Definitely worth discussion.



    Inb4 homophobic hate speeches.
    It's definitely worth discussion, but, given the state of technology, I understand the policy.
  • oorenfoo
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    In Canada they won't accept blood from Homosexual donors. Not high-risk homosexual donors-ALL homosexual donors.

    Therefore they don't get my calories.

    Gah!:huh:

    The problem is how would you unobtrusively tell whether someone is high risk?

    Actually, it doesn't matter! Our entire blood supply is now screened, since, and I know this will shock everyone, heterosexuals can get HIV as well!

    Obviously, but the term "high-risk" was not coined for fun.

    In any case, I didn't realise all blood was screened for all impurities in the US. In that case, I guess it shouldn't make a difference.
  • onlythetancan
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    I am donating Plasma on Monday, does that count too?
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    I am donating Plasma on Monday, does that count too?

    In the US, yes, but again, this only applies to men.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    In Canada they won't accept blood from Homosexual donors. Not high-risk homosexual donors-ALL homosexual donors.

    Therefore they don't get my calories.

    Gah!:huh:

    The problem is how would you unobtrusively tell whether someone is high risk?

    Actually, it doesn't matter! Our entire blood supply is now screened, since, and I know this will shock everyone, heterosexuals can get HIV as well!

    Obviously, but the term "high-risk" was not coined for fun.

    In any case, I didn't realise all blood was screened for all impurities in the US. In that case, I guess it shouldn't make a difference.

    I didn't say all impurities: http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/donation-faqs#Blood_Safety
  • littlebudgie
    littlebudgie Posts: 279 Member
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    In Canada they won't accept blood from Homosexual donors. Not high-risk homosexual donors-ALL homosexual donors.

    Therefore they don't get my calories.

    it's the same way here in the U.S.
    it's a shame really :( there are so many people out there willing to give blood and help others, and they turn you down due to your sexual preferences.

    I understand both sides, TBH. Don't get me wrong...I have absolutely NO problems with gay people. This is not one of those posts.

    It does seem wrong to stop homosexuals from donating because of their sexual preferences, almost discriminatory, in fact. On the other hand, there is a higher risk of certain diseases that would mean ALL donations from homosexuals would have to be rigorously check...then double checked. Imagine the strain, not to mention cost and time consumption, that would prove? Can you imagine the backlash is someone was to contract HIV?

    It's a tough call, either way, IMO. Definitely worth discussion.



    Inb4 homophobic hate speeches.

    Actually, all the blood is screened anyway, and they know who the donor is. My mother got a call from Canadian Blood Services telling her that her blood got a (thankfully false) positive for HIV, and she had to go get thorough testing to see if that was actually the case, and they still won't take her blood, despite the fact that she isn't a carrier for any bloodborn pathogens.

    Also, I'm told the segment of the population in the US and Canada that is contracting HIV and AIDS at the highest rate is young black women. Can you imagine the (perfectly justified) outrage if we banned them from donating blood?

    As a guy in a relationship with another guy, I just lie. We've been monogamous for years, and I've had bloodwork done and I know I'm not carrying anything. Maybe not the most ethical decision, but I figure saving lives trumps outdated, homophobic rules.