Final answer:
Blood doping artificially increases one's red blood cell count to boost oxygen transport and enhance exercise performance. It is illegal in sports due to health risks like increased blood viscosity, leading to heart problems or death, and includes practices like using synthetic erythropoietin (EPO). EPO thickens the blood, raising cardiovascular risk, and is banned in competitive sports.
Step-by-step explanation:
Blood doping refers to an artificial increase in one's red blood cell (RBC) count with the aim of boosting oxygen-carrying capacity and improving exercise performance.
The practice typically involves injecting supplemental RBCs acquired either from the athlete's own body (autologous) or a compatible donor (homologous).
This can significantly enhance an athlete's aerobic capacity and VO2 max, leading to improved endurance.
However, these practices have been deemed illegal in sports and carry health risks such as infection, increased blood viscosity, and the potential for transmitting blood-borne pathogens.
The development of synthetic erythropoietin (EPO) in the 1980s allowed athletes to artificially stimulate the production of RBCs in the bone marrow.
Although EPO can substantially increase hematocrit levels and enhance aerobic performance, it also increases the viscosity of the blood.
This can raise the risk of heart complications and even lead to death. Other substances, such as cobalt II chloride, can increase natural EPO gene expression.
The misuse of these substances for athletic performance enhancement is called blood doping and is a serious concern in sports, leading to disqualifications, as seen in the case of Lance Armstrong.
Erythropoietin might be dangerous if taken to enhance athletic performance because it increases blood viscosity.
This makes it harder for the blood to circulate, potentially leading to serious cardiovascular problems. EPO is also a banned substance in most sports due to its performance-enhancing effects and associated health risks.