question for medical professionals

Run4iiiiiit

I have a question about donating blood.
Is it safe to donate blood while training for a marathon? I can only donate on the weekends, when I do my long run. I run @80% of my max heartrate for 2-4hrs. I read that it takes 48 hrs for your body to make up what you lose. I am wondering if it will affect my training at all.

bluepineapple

first of all, i'm not a medical professional, but i have given blood before. when you give blood the nurses tell you not to exercise for at least 24 hours afterwards. it shouldn't make a huge difference in the whole scheme of training for a marathon, but it will disrupt your weekend training schedule.

vcreinert

Won't hurt the recipient unless you are taking some kind of hormones or something to give yourself stamina. If you are taking enhancing drugs don't donate.

It may affect your long distance stamina for a couple days. Drink lots of water and eat lots of carbs and protein and you will be back to normal quickly.

Azdak

When you donate blood, there are essentially two components: the red blood cells and the plasma. The plasma volume is replaced relatively quickly--the RBCs take longer.

While there is no real physical "danger", it can have a negative effect on your running performance for some days (longer?) after donating. Whether or not you notice a negative effect would depend on a number of things--how hard you push yourself, how long you have been training, etc.

While blood donation can be incorporated into your overall training program, I would not attempt a long run like the type you describe on the day that you donate. Or the day after.

mhamlin

I'm an EMT and surgical assistant.... first note, donating blood affects everyone differently. In my town we have a lot of runners who come through and we host triathlons all the time. My advice to you is to be very careful training the first few days after you give blood. Don't push yourself too hard. There is the possibility that your stamina will not be up to pare and I have seen people pass out for having given blood and then try to cycle or run afterward. Even if you feel great afterwards, remember that your body is a little short on blood.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Run4iiiiiit

Thanks everyone, I think I'll wait.