Donating Blood and Food Intake

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kcdrake
kcdrake Posts: 512
in Food and Nutrition
Tomorrow I'm planning on donating blood. I know that I should eat a little bit about 2 hours before donating, and that it's good to eat something to get blood sugar back up shortly after donating. I'm also figuring it would be a good idea to make sure my iron intake is good for tomorrow.
My main question is if I should up my caloric intake at all tomorrow. I know that breastfeeding burns calories, and I wouldn't have expected that, so I'm curious if donating blood burns some calories as well.

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  • smuehlbauer
    smuehlbauer Posts: 1,041 Member
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    No need to up calories to donate blood.
  • dansdeb
    dansdeb Posts: 164
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    No need to up your calories, but do make sure you up your fluid intake. lots of water. Blood donors are special people, thank you for doing so :bigsmile:
  • HonestOmnivore
    HonestOmnivore Posts: 1,356 Member
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    I try to donate every couple of months and I've never had a problem as long as I'm hydrated! I've donated on empty stomachs first thing in the morning or middle of the day. I take a multivitamin for a few days ahead just to make sure I'll pass the iron check (I try to always take a multi but usually forget).

    Any additional calories burned from replacing blood is just a nice little bonus!

    I've often allowed myself to replace the pint of blood with a pint :) but I'm guess that the beer has more calories!
  • msh0530
    msh0530 Posts: 1,675 Member
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    I researched this the last time that I donated. You burn 600-650 calories replenishing the pint of blood that you donate, and this is spread out over a couple of days. So, it is probably ok not to eat extra calories, but if you find yourself more tired or hungry than usual, you could up your intake by a couple of hundred calories for a few days.
  • snowflakes
    snowflakes Posts: 640 Member
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    The two companies that draw blood in our area serve juice, water, granola bars, pretzels or something while you sit and wait after you donate. That is plenty, I usually choose water and granola bar and feel fine. Somewhere in my reading it said that you lose 1 lb. when donating blood. Good for you for donating my niece recently has recieved two blood transfusions.
  • ljm0104
    ljm0104 Posts: 42
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    I donate about every three months and I don't up my calorie intake. I don't exercise the same day that I give blood as I am usually more tired than usual. I usually make sure I eat chicken or fish to get my iron back up. I do take a multivitamin every day though. It's a great thing. I donate through lifeblood here in Memphis which company do you donate through?
  • HealthyKt78
    HealthyKt78 Posts: 439
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    Make sure you eat and keep yourself hydrated after you give. If that requires you to up your calories than do it. I gave a few weeks ago and it was just spur of the moment because I got free admission into the museum I was going to. I didn't eat enough after and I passed out and had the symptoms of a seizure but it wasn't neurological. They try to give you sugary drinks for a reason. Eat the cookies they give you and drink the sugary juice. It's there for a reason. Make sure you stay in a cool place afterwards too and if you start to feel dizzy at all LAY DOWN (cause sitting didn't help) and have someone get you ice or cold clothes. It helped me a lot. I was fine for like 2 hours and then we went in the cafe of the museum where it was kind of warm and that's what made me pass out.

    I know everyone is different and that probably won't happen to you but be cautious. I had given blood at least 10 times before that and nothing ever happened but this time it did. You never know. If there's ever a day to give in to the sugar it's the day you give blood.
  • kcdrake
    kcdrake Posts: 512
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    Thank you guys, for all your help! I'll be sure to drink some juice and have a cookie or two before I leave. And I'll just be sure to listen to my body extra well tomorrow.

    I've only donated once before, back in January, but it's something I think I'd like to start doing more regularly.

    lmj, I donate through LifeSouth down in Florida. It mainly serves Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, I believe. They're always on my college campus and there are some centers in town that are really convenient to get to.

    HealthyKt, that's pretty serious stuff! That's one of the reasons it took me so long to donate in the first place - I've heard so many horror stories about after effects of donating. But I tried to listen to my body last time and I did fairly well, so I'm a little more at ease with it all. I'll be sure to stay hydrated and kinda lay low if I need to.

    Thank you again, everybody. :)

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