Time course for the recovery of physical performance, blood hemoglobin, and ferritin content after blood donation.

Background: It is widely accepted that blood donation negatively affects endurance performance, but data on physical recovery after a standard blood donation are scarce. This study aimed to elucidate the temporary impact of blood donation on endurance performance, measured as peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak ) and time trial (TT) performance.

Study Design And Methods: VO2peak , TT performance, blood, iron, and anthropometric variables were determined before (baseline) and 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after blood donation in 19 healthy men.

Results: VO2peak was reduced by 6.5% from 49.7 ± 2 mL/kg/min at baseline to 46.3 ± 2 mL/kg/min on Day 3 (p < 0.001), and TT performance was reduced by 5.2% from 13:31 ± 00:42 to 14:13 ± 00:50 min:sec (p < 0.001). Both VO2peak and TT performance were back to baseline 14 days after blood donation. Blood hemoglobin (Hb) concentration declined 7.9% from 9.3 ± 0.11 mmol/L at baseline to 8.6 ± 0.1 mmol/L on Day 3 (p < 0.001) and was not different from baseline 28 days after blood donation. The hematocrit (Hct) was reduced from 43.8 ± 0.5% at baseline to 40.6 ± 0.6% on Day 3 (p < 0.001). On Day 28 Hct was 42.8 ± 0.5% and still reduced below baseline (p = 0.028). Ferritin concentration was reduced 46% from 113 ± 23 μg/L at baseline to a minimum of 61 ± 14 μg/L on Day 14 (p = 0.008).

Conclusion: The individual recovery was variable, but physical performance was recovered 14 days after a standard blood donation, despite blood Hb concentration remaining lower than at baseline.