Question

1. What are two forms of blood doping that result in polycythemia, and what are the potential health risks associated with these practices? How would you expect endogenous erythropoietin levels in those who engage in blood doping to compare with those in normal individuals? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Blood doping is the enrichment of blood with cells or synthetic oxygen carriers to enhance the oxygen carrying capacity of blood. Blood doping may be by transfusions of blood or by giving synthetic oxygen carrier or synthetic EPO.

Blood transfusion may be -

Autologous - own blood preserved and used when doping required. No test available to detect autologous doping.

Homologous - blood from other individuals is transfused. This can be detected.

Synthetic oxygen carriers - heamoglobin like synthetic oxygen carriers may be used.

Synthetic EPO - Erythropoietin is a hormone released by kidney and causes increase in RBC count. Synthetic EPO may detected in Urine.

Due to doping blood may thickened and may causes hypertension, heart attack or blockade of blood vessels etc.

In doping erythropoietin level is unbalanced and may causes serious outcomes. It causes polycythemia. Recombinant EPO may cause autoimmunity.