Doping and erythropoietin

Despite the ban for this purpose, the erythropoéïtine (EPO) is used by athletes to improve performance, because this substance can increase the number of red blood cells and enhances the possibilities of oxygenation of the body.

This is done at the expense of blood flow and can cause thrombosis see hypertension.

After EPO injection, occurs stimulation of red blood cell production.

This increase in red blood cells begins to occur 3-4 days after injection ..

It is even stronger than the EPO dose is important.

The same phenomenon is observed during a stay aloft for 6 continuous weeks at 3000 meters.

HEMATOCRIT (see this term) that exceeded 50%.

At the 50% risk of serious complications is obvious.

Besides thrombosis and hypertension, may occur circulatory slowdown due to hyperviscosity.

The maximum heart rate is affected and the ability of diffusion of oxygen to the muscle.

Various physical exercises help accelerate the skin of cardiac output, which allows a certain extent to avoid the phenomenon of thrombosis.

Currently it seems that athletes who dope instead use low doses of EPO daily.

You should know that the life of red blood cells is about three months and increase the values of hematological indices extend this period.

It seems that the administration of EPO is mainly used in endurance sports.

Finally, be aware that some batches of EPO (of dubious origin) are of questionable quality and immunological reactions, with the production of human antibodies antiérythropoïétine were noted.

It was also noted serious autoimmune diseases and even death.

From the point of view of the detection of this type of doping there is a beam matching arguments for a high probability of fraudulent use of EPO: hematocrit, hemoglobin, reticulocyte numbers (see this term), soluble transferrin receptors .