Donating Platelets (,or Blood, or Plasma) and Calorie Loss

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  • CDSValentine8690
    CDSValentine8690 Posts: 10 Member
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    BombshellPhoenix wrote: »
    Should I log bleeding once a month under zumba or vigorous calisthenics?

    Vigorous calisthenics. Definitely.
  • CDSValentine8690
    CDSValentine8690 Posts: 10 Member
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    bingertheleftwinger wrote: »
    I'm also a bi- weekly platelet donor. It never occurred to me that there might be some calorie burn. From webmd though it seems like it would negligible on a daily basis. The way I read it, the 600 calorie burn donating whole blood is spread out over the time it takes to replenish the whole blood which based on how often you are eligible to donate would be 56 daysi ie around 10 calories per day. Couldn't really find anything definitive on platelet donation but since replacement seems to take 14 days, if it was 600 as well it would be less than 50 per day. I'm going in this Saturday so may ask the nurses if they have any better info

    I think that this is the most succinct and helpful answer of all. This was all that I was looking for people... Thanks for all the chuckles though! :P
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    Can't you just do something selfless without thinking about how many calories you're burning while doing so? I mean, really. My first thought would be "I could potentially be saving lives by donating blood", not "I wonder how many calories this burns!"

    Can't I just donate blood to get a free t-shirt?! Don't tell me how to live my life!!
  • kathleennf
    kathleennf Posts: 606 Member
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    Plasma (and platelets suspended in plasma) are mostly "salt water" with protein. There is a significant amount of protein in it - albumen (like egg whites) and other proteins. It's completely reasonable to replace it IMO, and logging it and replacing it makes more sense than a lot of things a lot of us log on here. I think it would be good to replace it.
  • Edie30
    Edie30 Posts: 216
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    It was a good question! I liked it! :-)
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    edited November 2014
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    charlesgodles86 wrote: »
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    I don't think this is a stupid question at all. After blood donations (especially right after), it's common to feel fatigued/hungry/dehydrated. After donating double red blood, I give myself an extra 250-500 calories, depending on how I feel. It's not about, "Woo hoo I earned more calories! Donating blood is exercise!" It's more about trying to bounce back afterwards. That said, it's not like blood/platelet donation means that you immediately have to replenish those calories. Your body will naturally replenish the platelets in about 7-14 days. Over those 7-14 days, the process of creating new platelets/stabilizing your body back to its normal platelet count probably does not use very much energy. If you're feeling weak after donating, I suggest upping your fluids and eating at/near maintenance levels.

    I don't know where the rest of this thread went wrong but I thank you for your reply. As I tried to say in my second post on this thread, I'm not looking to gain free calories, I simply had a question and thought that this community would be best to answer. Anyways, most of these other posts made me chuckle; I'm not sure if they were trying to insult me or simply make some humor out of what even I admit was an easily answered question and almost silly to ask in the first place.

    We like humor here. We actually love it. No one was trying to insult you. Sometimes this weight loss thing gets WAAAAY too serious...we need laughs. Which isn't laughing a good ab workout? I wonder how many calories I burned this AM watching my cat slip off a step and into the dogs water bowl...

    Thanks for being a good sport and understanding that.
  • QueenBishOTUniverse
    QueenBishOTUniverse Posts: 14,121 Member
    edited November 2014
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    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    Can't you just do something selfless without thinking about how many calories you're burning while doing so? I mean, really. My first thought would be "I could potentially be saving lives by donating blood", not "I wonder how many calories this burns!"

    So I should be patting myself on the back instead?

    Look, I'm O+ and meet the weight, height and hematocrit requirements for double red blood cell donation, so that's what I do, every time.

    You can be damn sure I'm thinking about how it's going to affect my recovery over the next few days. My oxygen carrying capacity is going to be down. That's going to affect my runs and possibly even my lifts if I don't give myself enough rest time in between sets, possibly for the next several weeks.

    I'm going to need protein and iron in higher amounts to replace the hemoglobin. And I'm going to need more calories because my workouts are *going* to be more strenuous. Now, the 1300 I went over after my donation last week, prolly not necessary. But that 1.25 lb steak was AWESOME and I dropped a full pound that weekend, which was the first weight drop I've seen in months. So pretty sure it all balanced out in the end.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    This thread makes me realize I need to get over my fear of IV needles and donate blood.
    And enjoy the free cookie afterwards.
  • Wronkletoad
    Wronkletoad Posts: 368 Member
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    not sure if srs.

    wtf with these fake ways to "earn" calories.

    but we need thoughts like these to have all of those "I'm a special snowflake for whom caloric control and exercise doesn't work" threads.
  • CupcakeCrusoe
    CupcakeCrusoe Posts: 1,372 Member
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    I think, to go against the grain, that OP was just idly thinking about it. I give blood every 6 weeks like clockwork, and I've idly thought about it. I don't do it for that reason, and I definitely don't think "OMG I CAN HAZ MORE CALORIES?!!!1!," but I've thought about it.

    In the end, I stick to my deficit on those days, but eat a little more if I feel faint. Which I think most people would do.
  • CDSValentine8690
    CDSValentine8690 Posts: 10 Member
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    Gamer_2k4 wrote: »
    auddii wrote: »
    People often donate platelets as a funding source.

    Don't call it "donating" if you're getting money for it. Donating means doing it for free.

    I was doing it for free for about a year before they were like, "Hey, here's this gift card for being such an awesome person."
  • CDSValentine8690
    CDSValentine8690 Posts: 10 Member
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    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    Can't you just do something selfless without thinking about how many calories you're burning while doing so? I mean, really. My first thought would be "I could potentially be saving lives by donating blood", not "I wonder how many calories this burns!"

    I donate triples so I actually help save three lives each time I donate. I really want to know how I'm doing ANYTHING wrong asking a question to get an accurate number after DONATING without any thought but that for my grandpa and grandma who both died from cancer, and my step-mother who is going through chemo right now for cervical cancer. But my platelet donation doesn't matter any more because now I'm counting calories. I guess I'll stop donating. And yeah, if you get cancer and go through chemotherapy I hope you don't need one of my units of platelets that I'm apparently too selfish to donate freely. But you probably wouldn't want my platelets anyways; they aren't good enough. And no, I'm not directing this at anyone specifically; I'm just wondering why a simple answer can't be given without jerks coming out to put me down for... for what really?
  • CDSValentine8690
    CDSValentine8690 Posts: 10 Member
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    congvo wrote: »
    Have you noticed your platelet count has dropped with your weight loss? My count used to be 225 and now is at about 180, so the hospital has told me my count is too low for platelets.

    Mine went from about 330 to 280 this last time. I didn't think about it then but you're probably right.
  • CDSValentine8690
    CDSValentine8690 Posts: 10 Member
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    Tortitudekitty wrote: »
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    Can't you just do something selfless without thinking about how many calories you're burning while doing so? I mean, really. My first thought would be "I could potentially be saving lives by donating blood", not "I wonder how many calories this burns!"
    ^^^^ this.

    I donated blood today and the last thing on my mind was "I wonder how much this burns off".....it's a gift for a stranger in need.

    Maybe one day I might need a pint or two. :o

    Also, I'm going into the Air Force as a PJ. If you don't know what that is, it's a medic. I'll be saving lives every day. I guess because I want to bet into shape and at a healthy weight though that those lives I'll be saving mean nothing. There's such a thing as being proud. Sure, too much pride and you will fall, but give me a break people... seriously...
  • CDSValentine8690
    CDSValentine8690 Posts: 10 Member
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    We like humor here. We actually love it. No one was trying to insult you. Sometimes this weight loss thing gets WAAAAY too serious...we need laughs. Which isn't laughing a good ab workout? I wonder how many calories I burned this AM watching my cat slip off a step and into the dogs water bowl...

    Thanks for being a good sport and understanding that.

    Well most of these comments I can sense the humor. Some on the other hand don't seem so friendly...
  • ahoier
    ahoier Posts: 312 Member
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    The only thing I could think of in a scenario like this, would be to wear a heart rate monitor during your donation....? LOL. The phlebotomist may look at your funny (well, if it's under your shirt.....a wireless strap they wouldn't know really) and measure your "calorie burn" this way. You definitely "burn" more calories during/after a blood donation IMHO.....I dont have any science to back it up.....but the couple times I've done it, the body gets all cold, etc....from the loss of blood. And they do advise you to take it easy (no strenuous activities..) for the rest of the day. So it does take a "toll" on your system....but this isn't something I'd necessary "log" as a calorie burn....just log as usual, and who gives a F% if you go into the negatives ;)
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    edited November 2014
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    bingertheleftwinger wrote: »
    I'm also a bi- weekly platelet donor. It never occurred to me that there might be some calorie burn. From webmd though it seems like it would negligible on a daily basis. The way I read it, the 600 calorie burn donating whole blood is spread out over the time it takes to replenish the whole blood which based on how often you are eligible to donate would be 56 daysi ie around 10 calories per day. Couldn't really find anything definitive on platelet donation but since replacement seems to take 14 days, if it was 600 as well it would be less than 50 per day. I'm going in this Saturday so may ask the nurses if they have any better info

    While this is logical, this explanation does not actually correlate with how the body makes new blood cells.

    http://www.blood.co.uk/about-blood/how-the-body-replaces-blood/

    Drink plenty of water and see if that helps curb your hunger after donating plasma/platelets. If not, eat more, but make sure you are eating nutrient dense food and not just empty calories.
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
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    BombshellPhoenix wrote: »
    Should I log bleeding once a month under zumba or vigorous calisthenics?

    Haha
    Actually, though, you do supposedly burn more calories in the pre-menstrual phase of your cycle. Per Livestrong, it's about 4% more. I haven't fact-checked them, though.
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
    edited November 2014
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    uconnwinsnc1 wrote: »
    goddessofawesome wrote: »
    Gamer_2k4 wrote: »
    auddii wrote: »
    People often donate platelets as a funding source.

    Don't call it "donating" if you're getting money for it. Donating means doing it for free.

    So then what would you call it? You're providing the platelets therefore you are a donor ergo you are donating them regardless if you're getting paid for it.

    A donation is, by definition, something done without monetary compensation. It appears they just decided to keep the word "donor" for everyone whether or not they are being paid for it.

    I would call giving platelets for money a sale, not a donation.

    And you would be CORRECT. Selling is selling. Donating is donating.

    ETS: I'm not saying selling platelets isn't worthwhile, just saying it's not the same thing.
  • techgal128
    techgal128 Posts: 719 Member
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    I gain weight after I donate platelets. Might have to do with the fact they provide unlimited fresh baked cookies during your donation though... :p

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