Advice About Giving Blood While Training

A curious reader of Outside online wants to know if he can continue to donate blood while training hard. The answer, says Outside fitness answer man Chris Carmichael, is sure, you can do it, but if you do donate blood you should take 24-hours to chill immediately after.
Carmichael cites clinical studies showing that donating blood can cause plasma levels to fall 7 to 13 percent,  but that those levels return
to normal within 24 hours. On the other hand, Outside reports, hemoglobin levels take three to four weeks to fully recover. According to Carmichael, studies have found that maximal performance is decreased (i.e.
competitive performance) after giving blood, but that submaximal performance is less
affected (training).  He warns that the decreased
blood volume in one’s body may cause a person in training to feel lightheaded, or his or her heart rate
may be higher than normal during exercise. Listen to your body, he says, and
stop immediately if you notice any of these symptoms.
Read more in Outside online.