Posted by Leif Irgens on November 10, 2006 at 18:52:39:
In Reply to: I can't even spell it! posted by Victor Birch on November 10, 2006 at 15:48:15:
Dude!! Where have you been !! EPO is an acronym for erythropioten (I can't spell it either . . .). It's a protein that stimulates red blood cell production. For cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, it's a life-saver as chemotherapy can destroy red blood cells, rendering many cancer patients severely anemic. For endurance athletes (runners, bike racers, cross-country skiers, etc . . .), it's one of the most common ways to cheat your way to a higher red blood cell count. More red blood cells = more oxygen carrying capacity and better performance. It's been the explanation for the sudden improvement of several second tier athletes at the international level in a number of endurance sports.
It's also a way to dying in your sleep of a heart attack at an unreasonably young age as several prominent Dutch cyclists did in their late 30's during the 1990's after synthetic EPO was first developed. This, of course, is one reason why it's illegal. What happens is that taking EPO can raise your red blood cell count to a level that makes your blood too thick for your heart to pump it and, when at rest (i.e. sleep) at a low heart rate and low blood pressure, the heart simply stops beating.
In the years after it's discovery, it was difficult to detect as it is something that is naturally occuring in the body (like testosterone, for example). So, cycling and XC skiing introduced maximum hematocrit levels for racers (hematocrit is the percentage of your blood that is red blood cells). Hematocrit too high? You win a 2-week suspension from competition due to being deemed "unfit for racing". A suspension for high hematocrit is not in itself considered a positive doping test but high hemaatocrit is usually indicative of the use of some illegal means to get it that high (EPO, homologous blood transfusion, etc . . .).
Too much information? Don't take EPO. I want to beat you fair and square. Besides, there's an accurate test for it now. Unfortunately, the test will only catch recent use and, if you've been following any bike racing in the last two years, you know than many cyclists who've never failed a doping test have been found guilty of taking EPO after being caught with the drug in their posession.