
Does EPO really work?
This study clearly shows that EPO works. I’d extend that to say that any practice that increases the body’s ability to carry O2 will work – so the same goes for blood doping. If they work, and work by the sort of margins we seem to be talking here – tens of percent, then can one gifted, unique individual dominate the sport? I think not.
What does EPO stand for in medicine?
What does EPO stand for in medical terms? EPO stands for "Exclusive Provider Organization" plan. As a member of an EPO, you can use the doctors and hospitals within the EPO network, but cannot go outside the network for care. There are no out-of-network benefits.
Is EPO produced naturally?
Erythropoietin (EPO) is a naturally produced hormone in the kidneys that regulates red blood cell production by the bone marrow. The kidneys will take in blood and collect information on how much oxygen is provided in the blood cells and whether or not there are enough red blood cells. If oxygen is in a surplus in the blood then less EPO will be produced, therefore if there’s too little oxygen in the blood more EPO will be produced.
Can EPO cause cancer?
Erythropoietin (EPO) is a frequently prescribed drug for treatment of cancer-related and chemotherapy-induced anemia in cancer patients. Paradoxically, recent preclinical and clinical studies indicate that EPO could potentially accelerate tumor growth and jeopardize survival in cancer patients. In this review I critically discuss the current ...

What is the mechanism of regulation of EPO?
Regulation is believed to rely on a feedback mechanism measuring blood oxygenation and iron availability. Constitutively synthesized transcription factors for EPO, known as hypoxia-inducible factors, are hydroxylated and proteosomally digested in the presence of oxygen and iron.
Why is EPO elevated?
Common causes of cellular hypoxia resulting in elevated levels of EPO (up to 10 000 mU/mL) include any anemia, and hypoxemia due to chronic lung disease.
What is the substance that stimulates red blood cells?
Reissman and Allan J. Erslev demonstrated that a certain substance, circulated in the blood, is able to stimulate red blood cell production and increase hematocrit. This substance was purified and confirmed as erythropoietin .
What is the hemotropic factor in rabbits?
After conducting experiments on rabbits subject to bloodletting, Carnot and his graduate student Clotilde-Camille Deflandre attributed an increase in red blood cells in rabbit subjects to a hemotropic factor called hemopoietin. Eva Bonsdorff and Eeva Jalavisto called the hemopoietic substance 'erythropoietin'.
What is the mechanism of action of erythropoietin?
Mechanism of action. Erythropoietin has been shown to exert its effects by binding to the erythropoietin receptor (EpoR). EPO binds to the erythropoietin receptor on the red cell progenitor surface and activates a JAK2 signalling cascade. This initiates the STAT5, PIK3 and Ras MAPK pathways.
What hormone is responsible for red blood cell production?
Erythropoietin is an essential hormone for red blood cell production. Without it, definitive erythropoiesis does not take place. Under hypoxic conditions, the kidney will produce and secrete erythropoietin to increase the production of red blood cells by targeting CFU-E, pro erythroblast and basophilic erythroblast subsets in the differentiation. Erythropoietin has its primary effect on red blood cell progenitors and precursors (which are found in the bone marrow in humans) by promoting their survival through protecting these cells from apoptosis, or cell death.
What is the name of the hormone that makes up erythropoietin?
Erythropoietin ( / ɪˌrɪθroʊˈpɔɪ.ɪtɪn, - rə -, - pɔɪˈɛtɪn, - ˈiːtɪn /; EPO ), also known as erythropoetin, haematopoietin, or haemopoietin, is a glycoprotein cytokine secreted mainly by the kidney in response to cellular hypoxia; it stimulates red blood cell production ( erythropoiesis) in the bone marrow.
Does Erythropoietin have any other name?
Yes . The other names or erythropoietin are EPO and serum erythropoietin.
How do I prepare for the test?
However, you need to inform your health care provider if you are taking any particular medication, vitamins, supplements, herbs, or illicit drugs.
Do I need to fast before the test?
No. You do not need to fast before the test. However, if you are taking any other blood test, you may be asked not to eat or drink anything 8 to 10 hours before the test.
How do I feel during the test?
You will feel mild to moderate pain while the needle is inserted into the vein. It is like a stinging sensation and will go away in a short while.
What is the cost of the Erythropoietin test in India?
The average cost of the erythropoietin test in India may vary between Rs 700 to Rs 5000.
What is the normal range of Erythropoietin?
The normal range of erythropoietin may vary slightly according to gender, age, and other factors like family history. The chart below shows the normal range of erythropoietin.
Can the Erythropoietin test be done in children?
Yes. Serum erythropoietin tests can be done in children suffering from anemia, bone marrow disorders, polycythemia, and cancer. There are numerous cases where recombinant human erythropoietin or rHuEPO has been used to treat cancer in patients. Blood transfusions can cause serious side-effects and infusion-related infections like HIV, hepatitis B and C, and excess iron among patients. The rHuEPO is an alternative therapy and is a more comfortable approach for treating cancer-associated anemia or CAA.
What is recombinant erythropoietin?
Recombinant erythropoietin is a man-made version of natural erythropoietin. It is produced by cloning the gene for erythropoietin.
Who receives ESAs?
ESAs are usually given to patients who have chronic (long-lasting) kidney disease or end-stage renal (kidney) disease. These patients usually have lower hemoglobin levels because they can't produce enough erythropoietin.
How long does it take for anemia to go away after a transfusion?
Transfusions may improve symptoms of anemia right away. ESAs may take from weeks to months to provide noticeable relief of the symptoms of anemia. If a patient has several transfusions, he or she can develop an "iron overload," or high iron levels. This is a serious medical problem.
How is erythropoietin produced?
It is produced by cloning the gene for erythropoietin. Recombinant erythropoietin drugs are known as erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESAs). These drugs are given by injection (shot) and work by stimulating the production of more red blood cells. These cells are then released from the bone marrow into the bloodstream.
Why do people get ESAs?
These patients usually have lower hemoglobin levels because they can't produce enough erythropoietin.
Why do red blood cells raise hemoglobin?
Having more red blood cells raises your hemoglobin levels. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that helps blood carry oxygen throughout the body. Anemia is a disorder that occurs when there is not enough hemoglobin in a person's blood. There are several different causes of anemia.
What is the purpose of erythropoietin?
Erythropoietin-Stimulating Agents. Erythropoietin (EPO) is produced by the kidney and used to make red blood cells. Erythropoetin-stimulating agents are used often for people with long-term kidney disease and anemia. Appointments & Access.
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 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.
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.
How did they prove that rabbits have red blood cells?
They proved this by connecting a pair of rabbits at the capillary level by overlapping flaps of their skin. When one rabbit breathed hypoxic air and the other breathed normoxic (sea level air), the result was both rabbits dramatically increased red blood cell production.
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 the function of EPO?
Erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein hormone, naturally produced by the peritubular cells of the kidney, that stimulates red blood cell production. Renal cortex peritubular cells produce most EPO in the human body. PO2 directly regulates EPO production. The lower the pO2, the greater the production of EPO. Erythropoietin stimulating agents (ESAs) are recombinant versions of EPO produced pharmacologically. Examples of ESAs are epoetin, darbepoetin, and methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta. ESAs are generally indicated in conditions where there is impaired red blood cell production. This activity will highlight the mechanism of action, adverse event profile, pharmacology, monitoring, and relevant interactions of ESAs in light of the natural physiology of erythropoietin, pertinent for members of the interprofessional team in the treatment of patients with conditions where these agents are indicated.
What is the effect of endogenous erythropoietin on erythroid progen?
Endogenous erythropoietin and erythropoietin stimulating agents stimulate division and differentiation of erythroid progenitor cells.[3] The surface of CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells, very early developing erythrocytes, contains EPO receptors. The binding of endogenous EPO or recombinant analogs creates a cellular signaling cascade, activating genes that promote cell proliferation and prevent apoptosis. The result is stimulating an increase in total body hemoglobin and hematocrit.
What is the best hemoglobin level for ESA?
Monitoring the hemoglobin level to optimize patient outcomes and minimize adverse effects is very important. A debate exists regarding the appropriate target hemoglobin in individuals treated with ESA. A pooled analysis of nine randomized control trials on patients with chronic kidney disease indicates that patients have higher mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular-related events when the hemoglobin falls below 10 g/dL.[10] In this pooled analysis, there was no benefit in survival in patients treated with ESA when the hemoglobin exceeded 13 g/dL, yet there was a higher incidence of adverse events such as hypertension, vascular access thrombosis, and stroke. Therefore, current guidelines call for individual tailoring of target hemoglobin levels, but optimal levels generally fall between 11 and 12 g/dL with the knowledge that higher doses of ESAs may increase the risk for thrombotic events. [Level 1]
Why are ESAs contraindicated?
ESAs are contraindicated in patients who have hypersensitivity to non-human mammal-derived products because of ESA production methods. [3]
Where is EPO produced?
Erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein hormone, naturally produced by the peritubular cells of the kidney, that stimulates red blood cell production. Renal cortex peritubular cells produce most EPO in the human body, though in a fetus, the liver is the primary site of production.[1] EPO production also occurs in the spleen, liver, bone marrow, lung, and brain in small quantities. PO2 directly regulates EPO production. The lower the pO2, the greater the production of EPO. Indirectly, low hemoglobin levels stimulate EPO production.
What are the adverse effects of EPO?
The most severe adverse effects of EPO are related to a significant risk of thrombotic events, particularly in surgical patients.[3] Supplemental use of ESAs causes an increase in blood viscosity because of a higher rate of erythrocyte production. Given this and given less of a vasodilatory effect due to a low baseline pO2, there is an increased risk of ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction.[4] There is also an increased risk of venous thromboembolism, and some have proposed the use of antithrombotic prophylaxis in patients receiving ESA. [3]
What is the source of ESA?
Transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells ( CHOs) are the usual source for large-scale manufacturing of ESA.[3] An isotonic solution buffers the ESA powder, which the provider can administer intravenously or subcutaneously. Standard dosing for epoetin alfa in patients with anemia secondary to CKD or chemotherapy is 50 to 100 international units per kilogram. This dose is initially given three times weekly. Dosing and frequency can be adjusted based on response to treatment.
What is the function of erythropoietin in the kidney?
The kidney functions as a critmeter in that it senses oxygen tension and extracellular volume. By regulating red cell mass through ...
What is the normal hematocrit of the kidney?
By regulating red cell mass through erythropoietin and plasma volume through excretion of salt and water, the kidney sets the hematocrit at a normal value of 45%. This is not a random number, but a value that maximizes oxygen delivery to peripheral tissues.
Which organ has the unique ability to translate a measure of plasma volume as tissue oxygen pressure required to regulate erythro?
The kidney has the unique ability to translate a measure of plasma volume as tissue oxygen pressure required to regulate erythropoietin production. I hypothesize that the critmeter is a functional unit that regulates the hematocrit.
Where is erythropoietin produced?
Erythropoietin is distinct among the hematopoietic growth factors because it is produced primarily in the kidneys rather than the bone marrow. The kidney functions as a critmeter in that it senses oxygen tension and extracellular volume.
How is anemia related to chronic kidney disease?
Anemia is a common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD means your kidneys are damaged and can’t filter blood the way they should. This damage can cause wastes and fluid to build up in your body. CKD can also cause other health problems.
What are the symptoms of anemia in someone with CKD?
Anemia related to CKD typically develops slowly and may cause few or no symptoms in early kidney disease.
How do health care professionals diagnose anemia in CKD?
Health care professionals use your medical history, a physical exam, and blood tests to diagnose anemia in CKD.
Can I prevent anemia in CKD?
You may not be able to prevent anemia, but managing your kidney disease may help delay anemia or prevent anemia from getting worse.
How to manage anemia and CKD?
You may need to change what you eat to manage your anemia and CKD. Work with your health care professional or a registered dietitian to develop a meal plan that includes foods that you enjoy eating while maintaining your kidney health and managing your anemia.
What are the causes of anemia and CKD?
, and folate. NIH external link. , that are needed to make healthy red blood cells. Other causes of anemia related to CKD include. blood loss, particularly if you are treated with dialysis for kidney failure.
What is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases?
This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. The NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by the NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts.

Overview
Erythropoietin , also known as erythropoetin, haematopoietin, or haemopoietin, is a glycoprotein cytokine secreted mainly by the kidneys in response to cellular hypoxia; it stimulates red blood cell production (erythropoiesis) in the bone marrow. Low levels of EPO (around 10 mU/mL) are constantly secreted in sufficient quantities to compensate for normal red blood cell turnover. Comm…
Pharmacology
EPO is highly glycosylated (40% of total molecular weight), with half-life in blood around 5 h. EPO's half-life may vary between endogenous and various recombinant versions. Additional glycosylation or other alterations of EPO via recombinant technology have led to the increase of EPO's stability in blood (thus requiring less frequent injections).
Function
Erythropoietin is an essential hormone for red blood cell production. Without it, definitive erythropoiesis does not take place. Under hypoxic conditions, the kidney will produce and secrete erythropoietin to increase the production of red blood cells by targeting CFU-E, proerythroblast and basophilic erythroblast subsets in the differentiation. Erythropoietin has its primary effect on red blood cell progenitors and precursors (which are found in the bone marrow in humans) by prom…
Mechanism of action
Erythropoietin has been shown to exert its effects by binding to the erythropoietin receptor (EpoR). EPO binds to the erythropoietin receptor on the red cell progenitor surface and activates a JAK2 signalling cascade. This initiates the STAT5, PIK3 and Ras MAPK pathways. This results in differentiation, survival and proliferation of the erythroid cell. SOCS1, SOCS3 and CIS are also expressed which act as negative regulators of the cytokine signal.
Synthesis and regulation
Erythropoietin levels in blood are quite low in the absence of anemia, at around 10 mU/mL. However, in hypoxic stress, EPO production may increase up to 1000-fold, reaching 10 000 mU/mL of blood. In adults, EPO is synthesized mainly by interstitial cells in the peritubular capillary bed of the renal cortex, with additional amounts being produced in the liver, and the pericytes in the brain. Regulation is believed to rely on a feedback mechanism measuring blood oxygenation and iron …
History
In 1905, Paul Carnot proposed the idea that a hormone regulates the production of red blood cells. After conducting experiments on rabbits subject to bloodletting, Carnot and his graduate student Clotilde-Camille Deflandre attributed an increase in red blood cells in rabbit subjects to a hemotropic factor called hemopoietin. Eva Bonsdorff and Eeva Jalavisto called the hemopoietic substance 'erythropoietin'. K.R. Reissman and Allan J. Erslev demonstrated that a certain substa…
Usage as doping product
As a performance-enhancing drug, EPO has been banned since the early 1990s, but a first test was not available until the 2000 Summer Olympics. Before this test was available, some athletes were sanctioned after confessing to having used EPO, for example in the Festina affair, when a car with doping products for the Festina cycling team was found.
The first doping test in cycling was used in the 2001 La Flèche Wallonne. The first rider to test p…
Further reading
• Liu C, Huang C, Xie J, Li H, Hong M, Chen X, Wang J, Wang J, Li Z, Wang J, Wang W (October 2020). "Potential Efficacy of Erythropoietin on Reducing the Risk of Mortality in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis". Biomed Res Int. 2020: 7563868. doi:10.1155/2020/7563868. PMC 7644316. PMID 33178833.
• Takeuchi M, Kobata A (September 1991). "Structures and functional roles of the sugar chains of human erythropoietins". Glycobiolo…