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I'm prompted to write this article because there have been some questions recently surrounding the use of EPO. Unless your a qualified Phlebotomist or a medical professional use this drug under extreme care.
The reason that EPO, and transfusion blood doping, is dangerous is because of increased blood viscosity. Basically whole blood consists of red blood cells and plasma (water,proteins, etc.) The percentage of whole blood that is occupied by the red blood cells is referred to as, the hematocrit. A low hematocrit means thin blood, and a high hematocrit mean concentrated thick blood (sludge). Above a certain hematocrit level whole blood can sludge and clog capillaries. If this happens in the brain it results in a stroke. In the heart, a heart attack. Unfortunately, this has happened to several elite athletes who have used EPO.
EPO use is espicially dangerous to athletes who exercise over prolonged periods. A well-conditioned endurance athlete is more dehydration resistant than a sedentary individual. The body accomplishes this by several methods, but one key component is to "hold on" to more water at rest. Circulating whole blood is one location in which this occurs and , thus, can function as a water reservoir. Which means during demanding exercise, as fluid loss mounts, water is shifted out of the blood stream (hematocrit rises). If one is already starting with an artificially elevated hematocrit then you can begin to see the problem. More thickening of the blood!!
Additional dangers of EPO include the sudden death during sleep, which has killed approximately 18 pro cyclists in the past fifteen years, and the development of antibodies directed against EPO. In this later circumstance the person develops anemia as a result of the body's reaction against repeated EPO injections. SO please weigh the risks against the benefits before diving in....
The reason that EPO, and transfusion blood doping, is dangerous is because of increased blood viscosity. Basically whole blood consists of red blood cells and plasma (water,proteins, etc.) The percentage of whole blood that is occupied by the red blood cells is referred to as, the hematocrit. A low hematocrit means thin blood, and a high hematocrit mean concentrated thick blood (sludge). Above a certain hematocrit level whole blood can sludge and clog capillaries. If this happens in the brain it results in a stroke. In the heart, a heart attack. Unfortunately, this has happened to several elite athletes who have used EPO.
EPO use is espicially dangerous to athletes who exercise over prolonged periods. A well-conditioned endurance athlete is more dehydration resistant than a sedentary individual. The body accomplishes this by several methods, but one key component is to "hold on" to more water at rest. Circulating whole blood is one location in which this occurs and , thus, can function as a water reservoir. Which means during demanding exercise, as fluid loss mounts, water is shifted out of the blood stream (hematocrit rises). If one is already starting with an artificially elevated hematocrit then you can begin to see the problem. More thickening of the blood!!
Additional dangers of EPO include the sudden death during sleep, which has killed approximately 18 pro cyclists in the past fifteen years, and the development of antibodies directed against EPO. In this later circumstance the person develops anemia as a result of the body's reaction against repeated EPO injections. SO please weigh the risks against the benefits before diving in....
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