I’m struggling to keep the riding up due to injuries and storms etc. I plan ride my ass off this month. Anyone know how much I’ll notice the fact that I’ve given blood this week? How long before it’s not noticeable anymore?

Probably depends on your weight, fitness and lifestyle..
How hard and far are you riding?

I’ve done physical activity same day loads of time – gym workouts, spin sessions, circuits, so reasonably intensive stuff. I’ve not noticed a significant difference. I guess your heart rate might be elevated more than normal so maybe avoid maxing out on your heart rate, but i’ve not noticed an issue at all.

A day or two I’d guess.. But that’s if your wanting to ‘ride your ass off’ so you’d have to plan your rides around that.

They don’t take that much blood, if your that serious about riding your ass off then you could practice other bike skills that don’t need balls out cardiovascular exercise for a day or two after, like whatever techniques might need work?

Awesome. Good to know. I just need to get road miles in more than anything. Should be all go for saturday then.

Depends how old you are too. In my 30s I’d be back to normal in a couple of days. These days I only donate in the off season.

At nearly 53 I feel tiered when I ride on the Sunday after donating on Friday . 5 years ago I never noticed any difference at all .

I gave up giving a couple of years ago as it seemed to affect me for nearly a week sometimes, donate Tuesday still felt crap the following weekend. I just assume it’s different for different people as I was early 30’s at the time, not over weight and averagely fit.

You can ride “normally” soon enough, though if you are racing or measuring performance in detail, you might notice a modest slowdown for several weeks. (according to the research I found when I looked into it.)

You’ll feel shit the next couple of days.

But wowser, when you re-infuse it…. 😉

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It takes up to 48 hours to replace the lost blood volume. Replacing the lost red cells takes longer. Although I didn’t feel different, I used to be able to see it in my scores for about a week. It can take 4-6 weeks to get back to your pre-donation state, but it depends on your body.

If you are just training and not competing, I’d take it easy for a day or two and then forget about it.

Can you still donate plasma ? That may well affect you less

But wowser, when you re-infuse it….

🙂 Yes, I’m led to believe you will notice a big increase in your fitness once you do this.

Uh. How’s that possible. Perhaps it’s just a placebo based on a few weeks of not being on top form.

Uh. How’s that possible. Perhaps it’s just a placebo based on a few weeks of not being on top form.

Blood transfusions? Definitely not a placebo. Common form of doping. Remove blood. Re-infuse it a month later. Overall you have increased the number of red blood cells and given yourself more blood to carry oxygen around.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_doping

Worked in the TdF (reinfuse on a rest day, go like stink the next) on many’s an occasion.

That’s why it’s banned I guess.

Read Tyler’s book, he describes how it works. You feel below power a couple days after dropping a bag.

Apologies OP, didn’t mean to derail.

It’s only an armful, just don’t use one arm for a day or two and it’ll be fine

Thats right….

Use you with your other hand for executive relief….. its like someone else is doing it for you 😯 😆

Just listen to your body OP, but good on you, donating is a very worthwhile thing to do if you can.

They do say take it easy the day you donate and the next day. In my 20’s and early 30’s I would happily ride or exercise the next day, but now in my early 40’s I do feel the effects and do not try to exercise for a couple of days.

Last week I donated on a Thursday evening and felt great doing a 30 km mtb ride on the Sunday, but I would have struggled had I done a 70 km road ride.

I usually feel out of puff when riding for about a week after donating – worth it though.

I try and donate early in the week and am normally fine for the weekend, though will sometimes feel a bit sluggish. I commute the next day, and sometimes the same day, I only really notice a difference when I’m pushing things a bit.