Does blood donation will burn calories ?

Options
13»

Replies

  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Options
    jessiferrrb wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    cjv73 wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    If you are a "difficult stick" (do phlebotomists have trouble finding your veins) it also helps to up your sodium intake the day before so you can plump up your veins.

    Hey, thanks for that! I'm O-neg so my blood's in high demand and I donate every 16 weeks. So silly that Canadian Blood Services upped it from every 12 weeks for women. :( But I am a "difficult stick" so I shall have some extra sodium before my appointment next Saturday!

    "O+" here so I am almost as much in demand as you. I was always on the borderline so half the time I got sent home for low iron. Yet another reason to celebrate menopause, My hemoglobin is consistently between 13.5 and 14 now so I never get sent home. I am also a difficult stick because my veins are deep and like to roll. A friend who is a phlebotomist told me about the extra sodium. I often have some cheese and nuts the night before (or popcorn, the other salty thing I like).

    O+ as well and the red cross loves me. i have also donated platelets multiple times and it takes a lot longer, but at UCLA they used to set you up in a comfy chair and put on a movie for you which is nice. i never considered the metabolic effects but agree on the exercise break for a day or so.

    I have asked about platelets but so far they have preferred I donate whole blood. The place I go also has comfy chairs, TV or DVD, reading light, and blankets (it is always cold in there) for those giving platelets.

    I never really thought about the metabolic effects, I just enjoy my cookie and juice, allow myself to feel pampered for a short while, take a day off from exercising, and call it a wash.

  • tigerblood6
    tigerblood6 Posts: 65 Member
    Options
    Thanks guys!!

    The doctor and nurse at the hospital told me not to exercise after the blood donation because they said its gonna make my head dizzy. But I did anyway and burn 400calories at the gym for 40mins!!

    Welll Im used to burn more than 1000cals per day- so it doesnt effect me at all.

    Blood donation is a win win situation. You save people lives and they save your lives by recycling your blood to a new fresh one.
  • Dinow
    Dinow Posts: 113 Member
    Options
    Hello Everyone I donated my blood yesterday it went really well. I drunk lots of water ate good healthy lunch. After no exercise and took easy. I even treated myself to some chocolate. I felt tired and sleepy in late afternoon. Today is new day and time for exercise
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Options
    Dinow wrote: »
    Hello Everyone I donated my blood yesterday it went really well. I drunk lots of water ate good healthy lunch. After no exercise and took easy. I even treated myself to some chocolate. I felt tired and sleepy in late afternoon. Today is new day and time for exercise

    Good for you. It is habit forming (and a good habit to get into).
  • TARGET65K
    TARGET65K Posts: 150 Member
    Options
    Sweetnsimpleblond wrote: »
    I hadn't realized donating blood burns calories. I guess I've never paid much attention to it. I have to start getting phlebotomies as treatments for a blood disorder I was recently diagnosed with. I have to get 500ml taken every 4 weeks. I'm going to ask my hematologist about relation to calories. Interesting...

    I also have a problem (iron overload) and donated 400ml every second week for two and a half years with little or no extra weight lost. And the sad thing is they binned all my blood.
  • petermaz
    petermaz Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    Blood Donation is a funny thing, you lose some actual body weight temporarily (ever feel how heavy the bag is after donating?) but it is gained back within a day usually by your body retaining more water to help build up the volume to normal. So it is not correct to count a calorie deficit towards a daily goal. You will use some of the calories consumed over the following weeks replenishing the other components of your blood, however it is not enough to make a difference in weight. So unfortunatly you can log anything you want but giving a pint doesn't really count as losing calories. Thanks again to all my fellow donators and organ donators.
  • Piqueaboo
    Piqueaboo Posts: 1,193 Member
    Options
    I had no idea I burn calories when I donate.

    That being said, it was lovely to read from all of you who received blood donations. I obviously know the blood goes to people, but I've never known anyone who received it. Thank you!
  • acbraswell
    acbraswell Posts: 238 Member
    Options
    DX2JX2 wrote: »
    Does anybody else like making it a race and trying to see how fast you can fill the bag? I usually end up furiously squeezing that little ball thing to make the blood come out faster!

    Haha, this is me! I've been under 5 minutes once. It helps to have had a lot of water that day too :)
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Options
    JoRocka wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    katadx wrote: »
    I wish I could donate blood but I had just a blood draw (1 tiny vial) and I passed out.

    @katadx

    I stopped donating after I did the same - felt fine and then next minute I was coming back round with one nurse elevating my legs and one fanning my face with her clipboard.
    Not worried by needles or blood but there's something about drawing my blood that has flipped me out a few times over the years and it can be just one tiny syringe full.

    It took my Mum's emergency need for blood to make me face up to the fact that being embarrassed is OK, embarrassing my wife who was in the next chair is OK too. :)

    Do they still take your blood? I remember if you had any issues DURING the donation they couldn't use it from what I understand- but after it was fine.

    I get light headed sometimes too- eh- it is what it is. happens to a lot of people. As long as they can use the blood- they don't care. LOL Good for you for doing it even if it makes you uncomfortable.

    In the US, if they have to stop the blood draw and only get a partial bag, they don't use it for donation, but they might use it for research.

Categories