Donating Blood and Calories Lost - Help

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  • Bluejay789
    Bluejay789 Posts: 176
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    Thanks everyone for the comments. I did take the night off.

    I was just confused with the comments from the red cross.

    Claire
  • jan_andrea
    jan_andrea Posts: 44 Member
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    So glad these boards are here -- I just got back from giving blood and was hoping I could give myself a little splurge today :lol: Ah well. The tech was nervous that I was biking back, but it's 1/2 mile from my house and I wasn't going to drive that far, and biking seems like less work than walking :) I made it home fine, anyway. Drinking lots of water.

    I was bummed by the selection of after-donation snacks, though. Mostly total junk (Keebler cookies, Cheez-its, that sort of thing). I did the best I could with pretzels and raisins. They used to make the best tuna sandwiches I'd ever had, but they stopped doing that several years ago.
  • jbw243
    jbw243 Posts: 1
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    You lose weight giving blood, and not just water weight, because your body burns calories replacing the red blood cells, white blood cells, other living blood components, and other energy-containing components. It is the liquid equivalent of having liposuction. I don't know exactly how many calories you lose from donating a unit of blood, but I'm pasting here one calculation I found online:

    albumin protein in 1000 cc of plasma = 40 gm = 160 calories
    sugar in 1000 cc of plasma = 1 gm = 4 calories
    fat in 1000 cc plasma = 1 gm = 9 calories
    Total: 173 calories per 1000 cc plasma

    protein (hemoglobin) in 1000 cc whole blood = 150 gm = 600 calories

    Since a typical unit of blood contains about 400 cc, half of which is plasma, one unit contains (2/10 X 173 albumin, sugar, and fat calories) + (4/10 X 600 hemoglobin calories). This equals about 275 calories.

    So go donate!

    Jay
  • kkwatts
    kkwatts Posts: 1
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    The Blood Center guy told me today that my body would burn 600 extra calories in the next day to replenish the blood I donated. I didn't know how true that was so I came home to check and found this board. No workout tonight and enjoyed a balanced meal with red meat. I did have the small OJ and some nutter butters after the donation too! I love OJ but always skip it.

    Kendra
  • LizardQueen4PointOh
    LizardQueen4PointOh Posts: 245 Member
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    I had the same question when I donated blood, and didn't come across any real concrete answer, so... I don't count any calories burned when donating blood. I've both brought my own snack (protein bar) and eaten the snacks provided (sour cream and chives crackers - yuuuuuuum), depending on my food choices for the day. I did my workout pre-donation so I wouldn't have to worry about after. Oh, and as my old drill sergeants would say: Drink waaaateeeeeeeeeeer! :smile: Thanks for taking the time to donate!
  • Frank_Just_Frank
    Frank_Just_Frank Posts: 454 Member
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    The way I see it your body just lost quite a bit of blood, a little rest and brownies will serve you well ;)
  • gsdz4me
    gsdz4me Posts: 66 Member
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    I donated on Tuesday after work. I ate the frankfurter in bread offered afterwards but did not eat the sausage I had planned for tea that night. I was standing talking to someone while I ate the frankfurter and had to sit down as I was a bit light headed and they gave me a sugary fruit juice and a lolly. I did do a walk when I got home and felt fine. I have been donating for years. I never even thought about calories burned to replace whats donated.
  • carolbrady1
    carolbrady1 Posts: 38 Member
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    I was on the GI Diet and so refused the biscuits after donating blood and had a banana instead. I got home and then almost passed out! I had to learn the hard way!
  • snarlingcoyote
    snarlingcoyote Posts: 399 Member
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    I've always heard the blood donation burns about as many calories as a good, vigorous cardio workout. There are about 250 calories, more or less, in a unit of blood donated (I do NOT want to know who figured that one out. . .), but your body has to burn calories to actually make that blood, which is another couple of hundred or more.

    Whether that's true or not is anyone's guess, but I've always just considered a blood donation as that day's workout.
  • prium01
    prium01 Posts: 306 Member
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    I think its better to skip exercise or just go for a light walk..and eat whatever suits you...You are doing great!!
  • pandarius
    pandarius Posts: 1 Member
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    I just donated blood too, and I'm curious as well. I'm not going to record it as any exercise, but I will pay careful attention to how I feel and try to eat nutrient-rich foods. I was worried about how I would feel, so I snacked a little to keep up my blood sugar(I'm about 100 calories over today), and though I do feel a little hungry, it's not anything unusual, and I don't feel nauseous. If donating blood does in fact burn a bunch of calories, I'll just let it go under the radar and eat normally.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    Honestly in the long haul it isn't going to matter so I just wouldn't worry about it.

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