Donating blood burns 500+ calories? Doctor reveals if this is really true or a safe weight loss trick

Have you ever donated blood? Is donating blood a quick way to burn fat? Here's what you need to know about the 'weight loss trick'.

In a September 3 Instagram video, Dr Kunal Sood, an anesthesiology and interventional pain medicine physician, reacted to a woman, who said in a video, “Pov (point of view): me when I realise donating blood burns 500-650 calories and only takes 10 minutes.”

Does donating blood burn calories?

In the video he posted, Dr Sood addressed the misconception that blood donation burns 500 calories or more, clarifying that this claim lacks scientific evidence. He shared that while the body does expend energy to replace lost blood cells, this energy expenditure is not equivalent to burning calories for weight loss in a traditional sense.

“You may have heard that donating blood burns 500 calories – but is that really true? While it sounds like a quick way to burn fat, there's no solid scientific proof to back that claim,” Dr Sood said.

“The idea comes from the body's effort to replace the blood that you've donated. But it's not quite as simple as burning off calories. When you donate blood, your body needs to replace the 2.5 trillion red blood cells lost. This process called hematopoiesis takes place in your bone marrow at a rate of about 2 million red blood cells per second. That's where the energy goes, not towards burning calories in a traditional sense,” he added.

What are the health benefits of donating blood?

According to Dr Sood, the primary benefit of blood donation was not calorie expenditure but rather genuine health advantages, such as reducing excess iron and lowering cardiovascular risks. He encouraged blood donation for its significant health contributions, and not because it could be a weight loss strategy.

He explained, “While it's not a weight loss trick, donating blood still provides health benefits. This will include reducing excess iron levels to reducing the risk of cardiovascular events. So, even though it's not quite the same as hitting the gym, donating blood still gives back in a big way.”

Dr Sood wrote in his caption, “While your body works hard to replenish the blood you’ve given, the idea that you burn that many calories is not backed by science. Instead, your body uses energy to produce 2.5 trillion new red blood cells, but it’s not quite like a workout. Have you donated your blood before?”

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.