Thread: Plasma

If you're just donating it once, then it should not have any effect. If you plan on donating every 6 weeks, then I think that could hinder muscle gains.

How often to your plan on donating?

You would be fine if done once or twice per year.

Well I have friends that donate sometimes twice a week

WOW....

OK, let's back up folks. This is an area I have a lot of experience in, it's called Apheresis. Donating plasma is not entirely correct, you're actually donating platelets (white blood cells) which are merely carried in plasma. The amount of blood plasma extracted is very small. The process is different from donating whole blood in that you have a needle in each arm simultaneously. One needle extracts whole blood and sends it to the seperating maching where the platelets and a small amount of plasma are extracted. The red blood cells and remaining plasma are sent back into your body via the second needle. The whole process takes about two hours to extract a pint of platelets. The reason for doing this is to donate to cancer/lukemia patients who's bone marrow isn't capable of producing platelets. When you donate whole blood only about a tablespoon of platelets can be extracted from your donated pint. When you donate whole blood you are donating almost entirely red blood cells and they are the ones that take the longest for the body to reproduce. That's why you can only donate whole blood every six weeks. Apheresis, on the other hand, can be done every five days because a healthy body produces platelets very rapidly. Hope that clears up some confusion.

OOPS. I completely forgot about the original question. I have a standing appointment to donate platelets once a week and have been doing so for about ten years. No effects on muscle gains that I've seen. Just drink plenty of water. (But you're doing that anyway, right?)

Good post ALBOB! I was really thinking in terms of whole blood. You are correct in what you are saying, and you said it well. Thanks for picking it up.

Actually i have experienced a different procedure. They use one need and draw out about 1-2 pints of blood in the machine and cycle out the plasma. Then they shoot that blood back into your body. This process is done approximately 10-15 times and they take about a 1-1 1/2qts. out through the procedure. And you really have to be careful when you lift. I waited 3 days and i still ended up opening the vein back up.

HMM, sounds like the same thing but with a single needle. I'm thinking the part about opening up veins three days later is due more to your healing ability. Different people take different times to heal. Just like recovering from weights.