Plasma donation protein levels

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phxbred
phxbred Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So currently trying to lose some weight maybe 1-1.5lbs a week, mildly active age 38 started at 255lbs now at 229, and I donate plasma twice a week to help with bills. I'm shooting for around 200lbs so from what I read I should be doing about 120-160g of protein a day, according to the app I'm doing much more than that closer to 160-200 a day because I donate and I've been trying to get my levels back up. Problem is my levels haven't been changing lately, even slightly gone down some when they test my blood. Info on another thread says that at 880ml a donation pulls 63g of protein, so those days should I be eating an extra 63g on top of the 120-160g? Kinda figured the over indulgence the rest of the week would have made up for it. I do eat lean meats, chicken/tuna/lean beef/etc and vegetables and protein shakes. Any idea why my levels wouldn't go up?

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  • 30kgin2017
    30kgin2017 Posts: 228 Member
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    My mind boggles at being paid to donate plasma. Anyway I see its a pretty common question. Protein absorption might be the issue as it seems that protein is absorbed in a matter of hours depending on the source. The only other thing that comes to mind is if you have increased/implemented strenuous exercise.
  • RubyDarling
    RubyDarling Posts: 171 Member
    edited February 2019
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    Do you mean your haemoglobin levels? It's an iron-carrying protein, so eating high iron foods (or foods that help with iron absorption) would help increase your levels.

    My iron levels are usually borderline, but they're definitely improved since I started taking a herbal supplement with echinacea, olive leaf, vitamin C and zinc -- a few of those aid in iron absorption.

    Jealous you guys get paid to donate! In Australia, there's no payment, and we can only donate plasma once every 14 days.
  • phxbred
    phxbred Posts: 4 Member
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    No strenuous exercise lately, burn most my calories at work. Standing all day, lots of arm movement labeling/packing product etc, not a ton of actual steps but some. So for better absorption instead of using lunch/dinner to make sure I hit my protein goal for day cut back on the large protein intake and space it out with a small snack or protein shake between meals so I basically constantly have some amount of protein going in? Within my calorie count of course, still trying to lose. Also thank you for the responses, all help is appreciated.
  • diets_and_daiquiris
    diets_and_daiquiris Posts: 143 Member
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    I donate plasma regularly. I'm in the UK, I don't get paid for it and it's only once every 28 days.

    I believe it's more important to up your iron levels and I was told to make sure you get enough vitamin c as that helps you absob it apparently.
  • Lynnmi07
    Lynnmi07 Posts: 131 Member
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    I had a coworker that gave plasma frequently and had trouble with her protein levels. She usually would get most of her protein from protein shakes and her level would be low. When she started consuming more meat sources for protein her level increased so she could keep donating. Not sure if that would help your or not.... I think someone at the center mentioned this to her.
  • phxbred
    phxbred Posts: 4 Member
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    Didn't know about the Vitamin C/iron link. I thought I had been eating enough of both but looking back through my food log some days I was over on both and some days way low on one or the other. I'll try some vitamin c and iron supplements and see if that helps. Thanks everyone.
  • 150poundsofme
    150poundsofme Posts: 523 Member
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    I donated blood in the Spring. I keep getting calls to donate plasma. I ask them to send me a brochure or paperwork about it but they say they don't do that. And there is no payment. Just to donate because people need it. But I didn't know about the problems you might have afterwards with your blood/protein. Good to know.
  • phxbred
    phxbred Posts: 4 Member
    edited February 2019
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    There's 2 types of donation, one where you get paid and one you don't. The unpaid are run by nonprofits to supply hospitals with blood products, RBCs/platelets/plasma/etc. It's illegal to pay people for their blood for use in a patient, otherwise you'd have O- people running around demanding $25k for a pint, same with AB plasma. For whatever reason(science I don't understand) AB is the universal donor of plasma, directly opposite of O- blood. If you only donated once and now they want plasma from you I'd bet your either AB or AB-, it's almost in as short supply as O- blood usually. "Donations" where you get paid are a for profit company that manufactures the plasma into other products, not something that injects directly.

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