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I've been hiking the east end of South Mountain Park for the past few years, and I've gotten to the point where the National, Mormon Loop, Javalina, and Beverly Canyon trails are... shall we say, "less challenging"? I still breathe hard, and have to slow down a bit as I come to the passes, but I can hike them just fine.
However, last month I gave a double-red donation to United Blood Services. Two weeks later, I went for a hike on the National, and got my kicked!

I realize everyone's different, but... Does a blood donation effect everyone this way?

What's "normal and reasonable"? (Yeah, right!)

Thanks for your time,
Gary

I gave blood about 40yrs ago...haven't been the same since. ;-)

Well athletes use blood for doping purposes to increase performance, so removing blood will almost certainly affect performance. How long does it take the body to replenish the supply of donated blood? I'm not sure. Two weeks seems to be a long time for it to still be an issue, but I'm no doctor.

It could be other factors that have changed recently too, including temperature and humidity, or a shift in your diet or hydration. Or any combination of the bloodwork and other factors.

Nothing a little EPO won't fix (referring to Chumley's blood doping post)

@Hansenaz
Beer Money?

I used to give blood regularly and only very seldom did I notice any effect.

@garyc57

I believe your body replaces all the blood over about a 3 month period, so over 2 weeks, it would only regenerate about 1/6th of what you donated. Not sure how much overall that is, but it could explain getting winded on the climbs. If its much worse than that you may want to see the doctor? AT the same time, I am thinking hiking South Mountains in late June would kick anyone's pumpkin due to the heat.

I do a 500ml blood dump every three months-I think my recovery time is about 3-4 days.

@Mick
Hemochromatosis?

I should mention that they won't take my blood because I lived in the UK in 1981, pre-mad cow. Also keep an eye on me.

Hansenaz wrote:Also keep an eye on me

I'll leave that to the authorities.

nonot wrote:your body replaces all the blood over about a 3 month period, so over 2 weeks, it would only regenerate about 1/6th of what you donated

That might be true if the replenishing happened on a linear scale, but I doubt that it does.

Here's a good article addressing the question that I found online:
https://www.runnersworld.com/health-inj ... to-normal/

When you donate blood, you give up a pint of fluid that represents about 10 percent of your total blood volume. About one-third of that volume is red blood cells and the rest is mostly water. The water is replaced within the day as long as you get plenty of fluids, but the red blood cell mass replacement can take about two months.

Most people, however, will be reasonably recovered by two weeks and functionally recovered by three to four weeks...

Our family doctor, years ago (late 50"s/early 60's) told me that giving a pint doesn't do much, but that when he was in med school they would give two pints, and assured me that had quite an effect.

The Red Cross would show up to the dorms about once a month when I was in college. We'd give blood and then go do shots. It was awesome

@The_Eagle
Yes-Too much Iron -Celtic Curse

Mick wrote:Yes-Too much Iron -Celtic Curse

Just as a quick aside, my first wife was on the team that discovered the gene for that. Got to hear about the Celtic Curse 24/7 for a couple of years. A disease tough to diagnose but easy to cure is one thing she told me.

If you bush hike through catclaw often enough you will build up immunity to blood loss.
Just sayin....