Giving Blood

Of course, you are suppose to no do strainuous activity for the rest of the day after giving blood, but if someone regularly gives blood (think it's around once per 3 months), then would it affect training to a noticable degree? I believe the red blood cells are the slowest part of the mix to regenerate, I think it was 56 days for 1 part of red blood cells to regenerate.

I'm not quite sure if you're asking whether regular donation is detrimental to training overall, or if you mean that giving regularly negates the weakening effect.

Giving blood regularly is shown to lessen the effects on the body as it adapts, in some cases boosting the iron levels of the donor as the body is forced to compensate. You still shouldn't train while you're weak from giving, though.

Everybody give blood (if you can)! I know I don't as often as I should.

I would, but my body has a natural defense against needles....it shuts down.

I tried, really, I wanted too!! Then things got all fuzzy....

I've never given blood, voluntary at least. My wife does and always wants me to go to and I've thought about it but then with training all of the time (5 days a week), I don't want to be run down or have any bad effect so have stayed away from it.

So perhaps Cord or others could talk about this and let me and others know what is the scoop.

Yeah, this is a great question, I'd love to know what the answer is. I expect the effects will merely be fatigue for a day or two after giving blood. But, if heamoglobin carries oxygen around the body and the blood carries fuel with it too, will less blood mean lower energy output? Where's budoc when you need him?

A classmate of mine gives blood on a regular basis. He is a thin guy and sometimes in class he seems fatigued from it, but only if he gives blood right before the class. He recovers from it in a matter of a couple of hours though.

They dont take more than an armfull!
doctors advice is to avoid strenuous exertion for 24 hrs after giving blood. It doesn't take much more than that to regenerate the blood you have given.
If you do give blood, make sure you do not do so on an empty stomach (have a carb rich snack 60-90 mins before), and they will offer you a biscuit and a glass of juice afterwards- take it to keep your blood sugar level up.
Incidentaly, if you have had piercings or tattoo work done within the last 12 months, you will not be eligable for blood donation, due to the (slim) risk of blood born desease from such activities.
The same goes for if any of you are juicing intravenously, or taking any injectable recreational drug. Not that anyone here is thick enough to do that of course.

My wife gives blood on a regular basis. She is a slow bleeder and takes her forever to fill a bag and many times she doesn't. She has some antigens in her blood they they really want that actually she started to get after being pregnant in 1992. One is an "Anti M" and now she just received something in the last months that she has another. Anyways, due to she is a slow bleeder a tip is to drink a lot of water throughout the day prior to going as this increases how fast and how much you can give. Just thought I'd throw that in there.

I don't 'inject' recreational drugs, no...

However, I was wondering if training after giving blood would be a good thing as opposed to a bad one.
If you were to do this, wouldn't your body have to compensate faster? Kinda like blood doping only you don't get back the blood you gave...(does that entirely defeat the point of blood doping in the first place?)

Or would you simply pass out due to your body not being able to handle the stress?

dcm

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However, I was wondering if training after giving blood would be a good thing as opposed to a bad one.

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Is running a car without enough oil in the engine, or enough coolant in the radiator a 'good thing'. No.

Medical advice exists for a reason. Rest after you give blood. Blood doping is a completely different thing- its not about total blood volume, its about red blood cell concentration.