The Gym Drill

Blood doping ?

Blood doping is a prohibited practice to enhance performance in sports, especially endurance sports such as long distance running and cycling. By artificially increasing the number of red blood cells, the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, an athlete’s endurance and overall performance can be improved.

There are several methods of blood doping, all aimed at increasing the concentration of red blood cells in the bloodstream. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein that binds oxygen in the lungs and carries it to body tissues such as muscles. By increasing the number of red blood cells, the body is able to carry more oxygen to the muscles, improving athletic performance, endurance and recovery. There are two main ways of blood doping:

1. Blood transfusion:
   In this method, blood is taken from the athlete or a matched donor, stored, and reinfused into the athlete’s body prior to competition. Reintroduction of stored blood temporarily increases the athlete’s red blood cell count and improves oxygenation during exercise.
2. Uses of Erythropoietin (EPO):
   Erythropoietin stimulates the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. It is naturally produced in the kidneys. Synthetic EPO is used to treat diseases such as anemia. However, in the context of blood doping, athletes can inject synthetic EPO to increase red blood cell counts above normal levels.

Blood doping is considered unethical and dangerous. It has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and various other sports bodies for giving athletes an unfair advantage and posing serious health risks. Potential risks associated with blood doping include:

• Increased blood viscosity:
  An increased red blood cell count thickens the blood, increasing the risk of blood clots, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. – Dehydration symptoms:
  Thickened blood reduces blood flow, affects the body’s ability to regulate temperature, and can lead to overheating and dehydration during exercise.
• Increased stress on the heart:
  The heart may have to work harder to pump thicker blood, which can lead to heart strain and other cardiovascular problems.
• Infections and side effects:
  Blood transfusions carry the risk of infections and side effects caused by blood components.

In competitive sports, anti-doping organizations use a variety of methods, including blood testing, to detect signs of blood doping and ensure fair play among athletes. Penalties for athletes found to be blood doping may include disqualification, suspension or ban from competing.

How does blood doping enhance the performance?

Blood doping enhances performance by increasing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, resulting in increased endurance and athletic performance. Here’s how it works:

1. Increased oxygen supply:
   Red blood cells contain hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein that binds oxygen in the lungs and carries it to body tissues such as muscles. By increasing the number of red blood cells in your bloodstream, you can carry more oxygen to your working muscles during exercise.
2. Improved aerobic capacity:
   Oxygen is an essential element for energy production in the body. During aerobic exercise (such as long-distance running or cycling), muscles rely on oxygen to efficiently produce energy through a process called aerobic metabolism. With more oxygen available, athletes can sustain aerobic activity for longer, delay the onset of fatigue, and improve overall endurance.
3. Delayed onset of fatigue:
   Because more oxygen is delivered to the muscles, the build-up of fatigue-causing byproducts such as lactic acid is reduced. This delayed onset of fatigue allows athletes to train at higher intensities for longer periods of time.
4. Faster Recovery:
   An increased supply of oxygen helps remove waste products produced during exercise, helping your body recover faster after strenuous exercise. This encourages athletes to train harder and more often, potentially improving their performance over time.

It is important to note that although blood doping can provide significant benefits in endurance sports, it is considered unethical and illegal in competitive sports due to potential health risks and unfair benefits. In addition, anti-doping groups actively test for signs of blood doping and impose severe penalties on athletes found to be doping. In sport, the focus should be on fair competition and natural athletic performance, not on artificial enhancements that compromise the integrity of the sport or the health of the athlete. 

What are the other ways to increase the RBC other than blood doping?

Running or training on the altitude– by running on the high altitude increse the blood oxygen level which in competions gives better results. improves the overall RBC level with respect if you are competing on the altitued level less than where you have been training.

Supplements– taking iron, magnesium and other essential elemnts which increse the blood level.

these two methods done together will give the results as better as blood doping.

Iron supplement recomended link below: