For the advanced athlete, the overall benefits of maximizing EPO, red blood cell content, blood volume, NO, vasodilating, anabolic hormone levels, nutrients, and metabolic waste clearance can include:
- Increase oxygen carrying capacity for improved muscle endurance and work load.
- Increase removal of metabolic waste to prevent muscle fatigue and allow for greater workout capacity and muscle growth stimulation.
- Greater energy production to exercise harder more intensely.
Full Answer
What is EPO and how does it affect your performance?
In terms of sports performance, EPO has been shown to increase the proliferation of red blood cells and increase the amount of oxygen carried to muscles. 4 Increased availability of oxygen is believed to slow the progression of muscle fatigue and increased endurance during performance athletic events. 5 6
What does EPO do to red blood cells?
Now, EPO is a protein in the body that increases red blood cells. Now, by itself, EPO is not gonna elevate red blood cell count substantially, but what scientists have done or dopers have done is figured out a way how to increase EPO in the body.
Why do athletes need EPO injections?
By injecting EPO, athletes aim to increase the number of red blood cells and, consequently, their aerobic capacity. If EPO levels are too high the body will produce too many red blood cells which can thicken the blood, leading to clotting, heart attack and stroke.
How do you increase EPO levels?
ERYTHROPOIETIN AND EXERCISE. Although jogging can increase the levels of EPO, it is not the most effective. On the other hand, if you are jogging or even walking on high altitude, then slow paced activities can be very effective. Even sleeping on a high altitude or in altitude chamber can increase the levels of EPO.
Why is EPO important?
EPO is necessary for heart development. EPO has been found to increase the contractile force, but not rate, of the heart ’ s myocardium. EPO attenuates inflammation in the heart. In the endothelium, EPO promotes blood vessel repair. Furthermore, EPO stimulates vessel proliferation and prevents apoptosis of existing endothelial cells.
What is an EPO?
What is EPO? EPO is a well-known performance enhancing drug that is a common form of blood doping. In 2013, disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong notoriously admitted to using EPO throughout his career. Following rampant use by endurance athletes, EPO has earned a reputation as a potent performance enhancing drug.
What is EPO in the nervous system?
Ogunshola OO and Bogdanova AY). In the nervous system, EPO serves as a neurotrophic factor and provides neuroprotection. Neuroprotection refers to protecting existing neurons from death due to oxidative stress, ischemia or a variety of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer ’ s.
Why is HIF stable?
When oxygen levels are lowered to hypoxic levels, HIF is much more stable due to deactivation of the HIF-specific ubiquitination protein (which labels HIF for degradation). Under hypoxic conditions, HIF binds to the EPO gene and stimulates transcription of EPO mRNA. EPO mRNA is then translated into the EPO protein by ribosomes.
What is EPO in medicine?
EPO is short for erythropoietin. Erythropoietin is responsible for triggering erythropoiesis, the production of new red blood cells. The history of its discovery is rather interesting, and was described in a recent review in Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine ( Erythropoietin, 2013. Bunn HF).
Why is EPO banned?
Its popularity with endurance athletes is a reflection of its powerful effects on performance. EPO is banned by most sports governing bodies.
When was EPO approved?
In 1989, the FDA approved a synthetic form of EPO, termed Epogen, developed by Amgen for treating anemia. The utility of EPO therapy for patients with pancreatic, cardiovascular or nervous diseases has been debated. Human trials so far have proved inconclusive.
What is EPO used for?
But erythropoietin (EPO)—a drug used to boost red blood cell counts in a practice called "blood doping"—falls under the same umbrella of forbidden substances. The drug has been a source of widespread abuse and controversy among professional cyclists since the 1980s. 1
What is EPO in sports?
Anabolic steroids are some of the more well-known PEDs. But erythropoietin (EPO)—a drug used to boost red blood cell counts in a practice called "blood doping"—falls under the same umbrella of forbidden substances.
What Is Blood Doping?
Blood doping refers to any attempt to improve athletic performance by artificially increasing red blood cell count. Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body. Muscles, in particular, use oxygen to generate the energy needed for motion. Therefore, the more red blood cells that you have, the greater the oxygen capacity, and the greater the supply of oxygen available for muscles to generate energy without "burning out" during extreme physical activity. 2
Why is blood doping so popular?
The ability to exert force for longer periods of time is what makes blood doping so appealing for professional athletes. Doing so may help reduce the recovery time between workouts, increase muscle power, and maintain an edge during competitions.
When did Lance Armstrong use EPO?
In 2005, a year after his seventh Tour de France win, Lance Armstrong was accused of using EPO, a claim that was eventually confirmed in 2012. After publicly admitting to EPO use, Armstrong was stripped of all of his cycling titles. Other champion cyclists caught in the crosshairs of the EPO controversy include:
Does EPO improve sports performance?
Not only is there no guarantee that EPO can improve sports performance, but there are serious health risks to be aware of as well.
Does EPO increase red blood cells?
In terms of sports performance , EPO has been shown to increase the proliferation of red blood cells and increase the amount of oxygen carried to muscles. 4 Increased availability of oxygen is believed to slow the progression of muscle fatigue and increased endurance during performance athletic events. 5 6
How to increase EPO?
Although some herbs may help boost natural production of EPO, exercise is the most effective way to do so. However, it also matters which kind of exercise you preform. The more intense exercise, the greater the stimulus. Although jogging can increase the levels of EPO, it is not the most effective.
What is EPO used for?
Since EPO significantly increases aerobic abilities, especially endurance, it is often abused by endurance athletes such as marathon runners and cyclists. It was one of the main PEDs used by Lance Armstrong and several other top cyclists which competed in Tour de France, at the time.
What herbs increase stem cell production?
While there are a couple of herbs which can increase natural production of this powerful hormone, two of them stand out. This includes Echinacea and Astragalus, a well known adaptogen. These two act on bone marrow causing it to increase production of stem cells.
What is EPO in sports?
Erythropoietin herbal boosters: Its effect on the heart muscle and athletic performance. EPO or erythropoietin is a hormone responsible for red blood cell production. It is produced primarily by the kidneys. Liver also produces it but in much smaller amounts.
What does it mean when you have more EPO?
So, more EPO means more stem cells and red blood cells, higher hemoglobin levels and oxygen levels in the blood.
Why is EPO used in the cardiovascular system?
This prevents excessive accumulation unlike when using performance enhancing drugs or PEDs. EPO is primarily used to treat anemia, especially in people with kidney failure but it can also be used to treat anemia in people with congestive heart failure . However, EPO receptors are present throughout the cardiovascular system because ...
What happens when blood oxygen levels are low?
When oxygen levels in the blood are low, the body signals the kidneys to increase production of EPO. EPO then stimulates additional production of stem cells from the bone marrow which are eventually transformed into red blood cells. Red blood cells are rich in hemoglobin which is a type of protein that transports the oxygen via ...
What is the function of EPO?
Simply speaking, EPO is a naturally occuring substance that regulates the ‘oxygen carrying’ capacity of blood. But to be more precise, EPO is a glycoprotein, mainly involved in a process called erythropoiesis.
What is synthetic EPO?
Use of synthetic EPO is designed to increase red blood cells (i.e. hematocrit) It is designed for medical conditions such as severe kidney disease, but has been widely misused as a performance enhancing drug in endurance sports such as cycling. High profile cases like Lance Armstrong are evidence of the widespread use of synthetic EPO ...
How long does it take for EPO to be detected?
It is widely reported that the testing window in which EPO can be detected is very narrow (i.e. ~12 hours). Therefore, the techniques used to evade detection center around the time of administering EPO.
How long does a cyclist work at VO2?
Lastly, studies show during the course of a three week stage race, cyclists only spend between 1-2 hours working at or above their VO2 max ( 13 ). Therefore, VO2 max may not be the best measure to detect improvements in performance from synthetic EPO.
How long does erythropoiesis last?
With red blood cells only having a life span of ~120 days; erythropoiesis is essential to maintain normal red blood cell levels. Without EPO, the body simply can’t produce the red bloods cells required to carry out normal functions.
When did synthetic EPO go undetected?
It wasn’t until 2000 that a verified test for detecting synthetic EPO was available. This permitted the use of EPO to go largely undetected for close to a decade.
Why is enhanced red blood cell mass important?
Furthermore, the enhanced red blood cell mass may allow athletes to sustain a greater training stimulus. This could produce a subsequent improvement in performance; potentially quite remote in time from when there is evidence of EPO misuse ( 18 ).
What does EPO stand for in blood?
So let's look at the first one, and this is EPO. Now, EPO stands for erythropoietin, and because that's a tongue twister, I'm just going to say EPO from this point forward. Now, EPO is a protein in the body that increases red blood cells.
Who is the Chief Endurance Officer of Endurance?
EndurElite Chief Endurance Officer Matt Mosman discusses how EPO and steroids work physiologically and why some endurance athletes choose to illegally dope with these two banned substances.
Does EPO increase blood count?
And what EPO does again is it increases red blood cell count, and as we all know or may not know , the more red blood cells that you have, the more oxygen that gets delivered to your working muscles. So more oxygen equals being able to run, ride faster, longer, stronger without getting fatigued as quickly.
What is the purpose of EPO?
Erythropoietin—more commonly known as EPO—is a type of blood doping that can help improve an athlete's endurance.
Why is EPO important for athletes?
This is useful for athletes, since red blood cells shuttle oxygen to the cells, including muscle cells, enabling them to operate more effectively . EPO is a peptide hormone and can be produced synthetically using recombinant DNA technology.
What is EPO produced by?
Produced naturally by the kidneys, EPO is also available as a pharmaceutical. EPO stimulates the production of red blood cells in bone marrow and regulates the concentration of red blood cells and haemoglobin in the blood.
What happens if you inject EPO?
If EPO levels are too high the body will produce too many red blood cells which can thicken the blood, leading to clotting, heart attack and stroke.
What sports did Lance Armstrong use EPO for?
Other sports associated with EPO use include boxing (Shane Mosley, 2003), 50km walk (Alex Schwazer, 2012) and athletics (Rashid Jacobs, 2008).
When was the first EPO test done?
An approved test for EPO was first introduced at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The test used a combination of urine testing, which would identify the presence of EPO (direct test) and blood testing, which would show the residual ‘footprints’ of EPO drug use over time (indirect test). This was the first time blood was used for drug testing.
Can you use EPO without detection?
In essence the new test will look for genetic expressions which prove that EPO has been used. If the new test proves accurate and viable, it will be almost impossible to use EPO without detection.
Why is EPO prohibited?
EPO has a long history of abuse in endurance sports. Blood doping involves the misuse of certain techniques and/or substances like EPO to increase one’s red blood cell mass, which allows the body to transport more oxygen to muscles and therefore increase stamina and performance. EPO has been shown to increase performance parameters such as maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and time to exhaustion, which is why it’s commonly abused in endurance sports.
How is EPO detected?
With this test, a blood screening took place first, followed by a urine test to confirm possible use of EPO.
What is blood doping?
Blood doping is the practice of misusing certain techniques and substances to increase the number of circulating red blood cells (and hemoglobin mass) in the body. Since hemoglobin within the red blood cells carry oxygen to the muscles, this lets the body transport more oxygen to working muscles and can increase their aerobic capacity and endurance, as well as improve recovery. Blood doping involves using pharmaceuticals, such as EPO and other biosimilars, to stimulate the production of more red blood cells, or the infusion of additional red blood cell volume.
Is the EPO detection method reliable?
The EPO detection method is widely accepted by the scientific community and has gone through an extensive scientific validation process . Accredited anti-doping laboratories worldwide have also successfully used it for years. In September 2005, the WADA Laboratory Committee reaffirmed its support of the method when applied appropriately. According to WADA, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has also supported the validity of the EPO detection method in all its decisions relating to EPO.
What is the most well known method of doping?
Blood doping, which may include the use of erythropoietin (EPO), is among the most well-known methods of doping in sport. Learn more about the prohibited method, as well as the prohibited substance EPO, in this anti-doping FAQ:
Does EPO thicken blood?
WADA explains that EPO thickens the blood, which “leads to an increased risk of several deadly diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and cerebral or pulmonary embolism.”. Athletes who misuse recombinant human EPO are also at risk of serious autoimmune diseases.
Can urine test detect EPO?
Further published research established that urine tests alone can reliably detect recombinant EPO, a finding that WADA’s Executive Committee accepted in 2003, which led to the adoption of the current EPO detection method. WADA explains that the research “concluded that urinary testing is the only scientifically validated method for direct detection of recombinant EPO” and “recommended that urine testing be used in conjunction with blood screening for a variety of reasons, including the cost savings of performing blood screening prior to testing urine.”
What is a performance enhancer?
Performance enhancers are various substances, chemical agents, or procedures designed to provide an advantage in athletic performance. PEDs affects the body in multiple ways such as the increase in muscles and the increase in blood cells oxygen-carrying capacity.
How do Performance-Enhancing Substances Affect Athletes?
Although stimulants can boost athletic performances, athletic endurance, and promote aggressiveness on the field , they also possess side effects that can impair athletic performance, including nervousness, irritability, insomnia, and dehydration which can hinder an athlete’s concentration and performance. There have in fact been high profile incidences of athletes dying due to the misuse of PEDs.
What is Blood Doping?
Blood doping is a technique that involves the use of substances to increase the red blood cell mass in the body. This practice allows red blood cells to carry more oxygen to working muscles and increase their aerobic capacity and endurance. There are three most common methods and substances used in this practice, namely, erythropoietin (EPO), synthetic oxygen carriers, and blood transfusions. This practice is highly dangerous as they increase the risk of heart attacks and stress, blood clotting, and strokes. The transfusion method increases the risk of infectious diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis.
What is designer steroid?
Designer steroids or synthetic steroids are a particular class of steroids that are manufactured illegally to remain undetected by current drug tests. They are created specifically for athletes with no approved medical use.
What is the drug that increases oxygen in the body?
Erythropoietin: Erythropoietin is taken by athletes to increase the movement of oxygen in muscles. This drug is extremely dangerous and can cause death, strokes, and heart attacks.
Why do athletes use performance enhancing drugs?
Many athletes use performance-enhancing substances to improve their athletic abilities. However, these addictive and dangerous drugs often give an unfair advantage over competitors in sports. It is common knowledge that the International Olympic Committee banned performance-enhancing substances but because of severe competition, the use of performance-enhancing substances in sports has become increasingly common. Taking these drugs can have both benefits and consequences.
Is EPO dangerous?
There are three most common methods and substances used in this practice, namely, erythropoietin (EPO), synthetic oxygen carriers, and blood transfusions. This practice is highly dangerous as they increase the risk of heart attacks and stress, blood clotting, and strokes.
What Is Blood Doping?
EPO Controversies
- EPO is a naturally occurring hormone that can be synthesized in the lab and injected intravenously or subcutaneously (similar to an insulin injection). It has been banned since the early 1990s, but it wasn't until the 2000 Summer Olympics that the first blood doping tests became available.5 Abuse of EPO made world headlines when Floyd Landis, the 2006 Tour de France w…
Effect on Athletic Performance
- In terms of sports performance, EPO has been shown to increase the proliferation of red blood cells and increase the amount of oxygen carried to muscles.5 The increased oxygen in circulation slows the Increased availability of oxygen slows the progression of muscle fatigue and thereby increases enduranceduring performance athletic events. The incre...
Potential Dangers
- Not only is there no guarantee that EPO can improve sports performance, but there are serious health risks to be aware of as well.
A Word from Verywell
- Despite the temptation to use PEDs, the risks to your health and reputation far outweigh any possible benefit. If you feel that you are underperforming as an athlete, don't let supplementsbe your first choice of treatment either. Instead, talk to your coach about safer options, such as nutrition, alternate forms of training, or the implementation of sports psychologytechniques. If yo…