Donating blood and cycling performance

[Bateleur1]

I am sure there are cyclists out there who are also donating blood and platelets.

 

What is the effect on you body after donating blood.

 

I beleive that donating platelets is minimal as they only extract the platelets and pump the rest back into your system

 

But taking 500 ml of blood surely should have some form of impact on endurance, temporarily.

 

Any comments.

 

I will be donating soon to help a friends daughter who is a cancer sufferer but with the current shortages I think I will make this a more permanent thing.

[RexFuzzle]

I know that for a day or two training is super hard and it feels like i might pass out, but after that I can't detect any changes... other than feeling good for helping out.

[dee_biker]

I normally see it in my average heart rate being 10+bpm higher than normal for 2 days or so...

[TwiggzSA]

I've definitely noticed an increase in heart rate during exercise for two days after donating blood. And sluggish on the third day.

 

If I'm taking part in a race then I won't donate since my heart rate goes up about 20bpm average in a race compared to a social ride.

[Pieter1]

I havent noticed any thing different after donating, but I dont use a hrm so there might be something but I wouldnt know.

[Naushie]

I donated blood a couple of times last year, and I felt tired for about a week afterwards.

[Bateleur1]

Thanks for the response. Basically it would not be a great idea to donate in the week before an event.

[TNT1]

Thanks for the response. Basically it would not be a great idea to donate in the week before an event.

 

Depends. I donated both a lot when I was racing. If you are carrying a virus or something, donation will bring it out, if you are fine, donating on the monday-ish, and racing weekend is fine - just hydrate like a mother-f**ker!

Edited May 17, 2012 by TNT1

[TNT1]

All you okes talking raised heart rate are missing the point. The whole idea behind training is to get a higher heart rate when you rev.

 

You're like all "ooh, ooh, my heart rate was raised compared to training during the race. FFS! That means you rode harder. Innit that the point?

Edited May 17, 2012 by TNT1

[TwiggzSA]

All you okes talking raised heart rate are missing the point. The whole idea behind training is to get a higher heart rate when you rev.

 

You're like all "ooh, ooh, my heart rate was raised compared to training during the race. FFS! That means you rode harder. Innit that the point?

 

That's what I was trying to say, racing raises the heart rate and so does donating blood so do you really want to put your heart under greater strain with them both combined.

 

I'm not a doctor but that just sounds like a dumb idea to donate blood and race. Choose one, seems like the OP is donating for a personal cause and is most probably much more important than a race. The race will happen again next year, I think your friends daughter is more important.

[fandacious]

Depends. I donated both a lot when I was racing. If you are carrying a virus or something, donation will bring it out, if you are fine, donating on the monday-ish, and racing weekend is fine - just hydrate like a mother-f**ker!

 

doesnt it affect the oxygen distribution effectiveness of your body?

[TNT1]

doesnt it affect the oxygen distribution effectiveness of your body?

 

Sure, yes. For a measly 100km or less race? No big deal. For a week long or more tour, hell yes. Big difference.

[Wannabe]

I once donated blood on the wednesday, and went for a DC training ride (lsd type ride) on the saturday. At 60km I started to feel like I'm bonking (high HR, no power). At 90km I had to phone my wife to come and pick me up (still had 30km to go). There was no way I would have made it home on my own steam,

I was relatively fit, pace was moderate, I hydrated well and also ate well (before and during the ride)

As a result I do not donate blood the week before a race or long training ride.

[Bateleur1]

doesnt it affect the oxygen distribution effectiveness of your body?

 

I would think that would make an impact. Your body looses about 10% of its ability to carry oxygen. I would imagine it would be similar to move from the coast to the highveld and also take a bit of time to recover.

[fandacious]

Sure, yes. For a measly 100km or less race? No big deal. For a week long or more tour, hell yes. Big difference.

 

interesting... i would have thought it would be immediately noticeable.

 

they take about 1/7th of it out during donation.

[Bateleur1]

That's what I was trying to say, racing raises the heart rate and so does donating blood so do you really want to put your heart under greater strain with them both combined.

 

I'm not a doctor but that just sounds like a dumb idea to donate blood and race. Choose one, seems like the OP is donating for a personal cause and is most probably much more important than a race. The race will happen again next year, I think your friends daughter is more important.

 

You are quite right. I am suffering from a bit of cold infection and will be traveling into a malaria area soon. So I am out of the picture to help her for the next 5 weeks. But we are a group support her now. I will have my platelets tested next week. It takes some time for the results to come back but she will take priority.

 

But I am concidering doing this on a regular basis as well and just want to make sure if a race comes up that I don't screw myself along the way there.