I donated blood yesterday and went on a 2 mile run today. I felt like utter **** almost immediately, my legs were almost giving out and I was gasping for air; is this normal? If so how long will it take to get back to normal?
Yeah, thats normal. When you give blood you obviously have far less left in circulation. This means you have less red blood cells to transport oxygen to your muscles. With less oxygen, muscles cannot undergo the electron transport chain as rapidly, as oxygen is the body's electron acceptor, so ATP (the body's energy currency) is not produced as quickly. When ATP is not produced as quickly, there is less available for muscle contraction, as ATP is needed for actin-myosin binding in muscles. This is why your legs felt like they would give out. You were gasping for air because when you inhaled oxygen, it went into your lungs and into your bloodstream from there. However, with less blood, the oxygen you inhaled cant be transported around the body as efficiently and your muscles were oxygen depleted, so chemoreceptors in the blood told the respiratory centre in your medulla oblongata (part of brainstem) that you needed more oxygen, and increased your respiratory rate. Sorry, for the physiology lesson, I'm bored and should be studying! :nut But yeah, you'll be fine in 2-3 days. :bbb
When I donate, I try to drink a lot of water the day before and the day of. I also eat all my meals on that day.
Same deal with plasma donation? Been thinking about going every now and then to pick up some extra bucks but I'd prefer not to die...
I nearly fell 'up' the stairs last time i gave blood. Wouldn't be going on any runs. I donate a fair bit, shouldn't be a day or 2 until back to normal. Fluids and food help.
Eat a steak (beef) and/or LOTS of DARK green leafy veggies. Giving blood is good for you. Same reason why chicks don't have heart attacks. If you are active though, you will feel a drop off of performance due to the lowering of iron in your bloodstream. Less blood = less oxygen carrying capacity.
