Blood Doping: EPO, Ethics, and Detection
Ian C. Marzke
Mrs. Culver
Honors English 10
March 27, 2012
Final Draft
Veins pulsing, the cyclist shifts into the bike's highest gear, pushing and pounding on the pedals. With each rotation of the crank, his legs begin to feel the built-up lactic acid. His breathing is shallow and hurried, and his chances of finishing the race are quickly dissipating. He needs this race. He wants it. But he is quickly realizing that without help, his chances of accomplishing this goal are not going to be plausible.
It is not a new phenomenon, but endurance athletes are always trying to find ways to beat their competition. They train harder, eat smarter, and in some cases, even participate in illegal activities such as blood doping to bring their athletic capabilities to the next level. In particular, the sport of cycling has recently seen an increase in the amount of athletes being suspended for activities they performed in the hopes of accomplishing one goal and purpose—winning. With improvements in technology, it is becoming even easier to enhance performance, but I feel that athletes are taking it too far. Has winning “clean” completely gone out the door in our society?
What professional athletes do not realize is that by participating in illegal practices such as blood doping, they are hurting their sport—our sport. Tour de France titles have been stripped, and the sport is now getting unwanted publicity. Indeed, many people are now looking at cycling as a cheaters’ sport. I, being a fan, am greatly disappointed in what these athletes are doing not only to themselves, but also to the sport in which they compete. Blood doping, an unethical and possibly life-threatening action, is becoming quite common in endurance athletics. Today, new methods of detection have allowed for guilty athletes to be rightfully convicted.
Being an avid cyclist, swimmer, and triathlete, I chose the topic of blood doping to gain a complete understanding of what it is and how it may affect athletes seeking an increase in athletic performance. In addition, in the summer of 2010, I attended the Tour de France. I saw Alberto Contador, one of the greatest cyclists in the past few years, win the grueling 20-stage race. In the months following the race, however, evidence was found that he participated in blood doping and other practices in order to get him to the top of the podium. As a huge fan of the sport, I was severely disappointed to hear this. Essentially, I was curious how much blood doping really helped him.
To start the research process, I used the online databases provided to us through the St. Joseph High School Media Center web page. The most useful of these happened to be World Book Online. The very short and succinct article they provided gave me a very basic understanding of what blood doping was, the methods of use, and forms of detection. From here, I was able to search specific terms using Google such as “EPO.” The majority of my research articles were found with this method. They were from major newspapers such as USA Today to conference papers written by professors on the subject. However, I was not able to find a viable book on the subject. All in all, the physical research took me about five days, and within the short week, I was able to gain a pretty good understanding of what blood doping is, and how it has evolved.
Before discussing the subject of blood doping in detail, I feel that a few ideas must be understood. To start, if you are or were an athlete at any point in your life, you will understand the concept that our muscles need a lot of oxygen when they are working hard. In particular, endurance athletes, such as cyclists, swimmers, and cross country skiers, need a large amount of oxygen in order to keep their muscles moving for long periods of time. When the body struggles to get oxygen carried to the muscles, something called “oxygen debt” sets in. At this point, lactic acid is formed because the body begins anaerobic cellular respiration. Almost everyone is familiar with the soreness or burning felt in the legs or arms either during or after a long competition or workout. This pain is the result of lactic acid production, which most athletes look to avoid. According to Darren Beckham of Texarkana College, “Three percent of oxygen is carried in solution (plasma) and 97 percent is bound to hemoglobin, the principle protein in erythrocytes (red blood cells)” (1). With this information in mind, in order to reduce fatigue and soreness within the muscles, more oxygen must be readily available to transport. So by increasing the quantity of hemoglobin, this problem can be solved (Beckham 1).
According to Bonita L. Marks, Ph.D., “Blood doping is the practice of increasing the number of red blood cells in the body to improve athletic performance” (1). There are, however, a couple of ways to accomplish this. The original way to blood dope was through transfusions. To do this, the athlete would remove blood, one to three pints to be exact, from their own bodies (Marks 1). At this point, “This blood is then frozen and stored for six to eight weeks. The athlete continues training with a reduced amount of blood” (“Blood Boosting” 1). As the athlete continues to train without his or her full amount of blood, the body slowly replaces what was taken (“Blood Boosting” 1). A few days before the athlete’s major competition, the blood cells that were frozen and put aside are now brought back out, thawed, and re-injected into the body (Marks 1). When this process is done correctly, the athlete’s blood will have an increased number of red blood cells (RBC’s), which will allow the athlete to carry a greater amount of oxygen to the muscles, reducing fatigue and allowing for greater endurance (“Blood Boosting” 1).
With improvements in medical science and technology, however, blood doping has evolved, allowing athletes to increase their RBC count in new, easier ways. For example, erythropoietin, referred to as EPO, is a protein hormone that is naturally produced in the kidneys. The presence of this hormone results in the production of more RBC’s (Marks 1). However, this naturally occurring hormone can be produced artificially in the lab, allowing athletes an easier way to get their hands on this drug (“EPO Explained” 1). Essentially, instead of drawing blood and storing it, athletes are now able to inject themselves with EPO. The entire process is much cleaner and is extremely difficult to be detected because the hormone happens to occur naturally in the body (“Erythropoietin” 2). According to the article entitled “Erythropoietin,” after an athlete shoots up with EPO, “it [erythropoietin] binds with receptors in the bone marrow, where it stimulates the production of red blood cells (erythrocytes)” (2). Originally, this synthetic drug was produced to treat serious forms of anemia, but then athletes began using it for their own benefit (Marks 1).
The sole purpose of participating in such activities such as blood doping is to enhance athletic potential and endurance. However, what many people don’t understand is that there are also negative impacts that go along with these activities. Like I previously mentioned, blood doping increases hemoglobin levels so that the body is then able to carry more oxygen to the working muscles. However, if these hemoglobin levels get too high, the blood begins to become more viscous, which puts more strain on the heart because it has to pump thicker blood throughout the body (Beckham 2). To be more specific, the thickness of blood is determined by the hematocrit level (“Erythropoietin” 3). The article “Erythropoietin” explains hematocrit best by saying “Whole blood consists of red blood cells and plasma (water, proteins, etc). The percentage of whole blood that is occupied by the red blood cells is referred to as, the hematocrit. A low hematocrit means dilute (thin) blood, and a high hematocrit means concentrated (thick) blood” (3). If the blood begins to become too thick, there is a chance that the capillaries will clog, which can result in stroke, heart attack, or maybe even death. In addition, there are specific dangers associated with EPO alone, which can include “sudden death during sleep [...] and the development of antibodies against EPO” (“Erythropoietin” 3).
Ultimately, like myself, many people would like to see the “dirty” athletes get caught, tried, and suspended from competition. However, blood doping is extremely hard to detect. Like I mentioned earlier, EPO is a hormone that is naturally found in the body. In addition, transfusions are simply the replacement of red blood cells to increase the quantity of hemoglobin, a protein that is also naturally found in the body. Although this is the case, there are still ways to detect this prohibited activity. One method is to analyze an athlete’s blood, or in particular, the hematocrit (Marks 1). According to Bonita L. Marks, “Females have an average hematocrit of about 38 percent, while males average about 42 percent. A hematocrit over 55 percent may indicate blood doping” (1). This is one method of detection, but it is not an exact science. For example, top-level athletes “live high and train low” in order to enhance their performance. Unlike blood doping, altitude training is completely legal and can also enhance a person’s hematocrit level, showing that not all athletes who have a high hematocrit are participating in illegal, performance-enhancing activities (Marks 1). Fortunately, modern technology has brought about a new method of detection. In the year 2000, a new two-part test was developed to help detect the use of EPO. The International Olympic Committee for the Sydney Olympics brought about this particular test. The two parts include a urine test and a blood test, and both must be confirmed positive for any athlete to receive suspensions or other types of punishment (Eichner 3).
Due to the fact that testing has greatly improved these past few years, it seems that athletes are now being determined guilty more frequently. This past February (2012), for example, Alberto Contador, a triple winner of the Tour de France, was found guilty of using certain drugs to enhance his performance during the 2010 Tour, which he ended up winning. Ian Austen of the International Herald Tribune wrote, “The decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, which overturns a ruling by the Spanish cycling federation, means that Contador will be banned from racing for two years” (1). This suspension means that he will be missing both the 2012 Tour de France and the 2012 summer Olympics in London. In addition to this punishment, Contador will lose his 2010 title for the Tour de France, as well as all results of that season. One of the drugs found in his body was clenbuterol, which supposedly helps riders in the mountains. Although this drug can be found in meat and can therefore be found in the body as a result of eating it, another substance was found in his body that showed he was most definitely involved in performance enhancing activities. This was a chemical component known as plasticizers, which is usually found in certain medical products such as I.V. bags and tubing. The fact that he tested positive for this certain chemical helps to prove that Contador may have been taking part in blood doping (Austen 1). Whenever an athlete violates the rules of his or her sport by partaking in particular activities such as blood doping, WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) can suspend athletes from competition. Also, if the athlete gets a hold of the drugs illegally, more severe forms of punishment, such as criminal charges, can be filed (Ruibal 2).
Every day, I am almost positive that athletes of all sports practice harder, eat smarter, and get more sleep in order to enhance their athletic potential and abilities. However, like the rider I described at the beginning, everyone has a point in which they cannot increase their endurance or performance anymore by these means. So, these athletes sometimes partake in illegal activities such as blood transfusions or EPO. These drugs may help the athletes in the short term, but often there are many negative side effects as well. In addition, whenever a role model of a sport is caught, the sport receives unwanted publicity and a bad image. I would like to see all sports become clean as they once were. Spectators don’t want to see unnatural abilities; they want to see how athletes perform with their God-given talents. According to a small survey I conducted, 93.3 percent of my responders believe that professional athletes should not be allowed to enhance their performance through blood doping. Also, 40 percent of my responders believe that guilty athletes deserve a multiple year suspension from competition, while 53.3 percent believe that these particular athletes deserve a multiple month suspension. These statistics were taken from a survey of 20 people via Facebook (Marzke).
In conclusion, my research shows that the issues of blood doping greatly outweigh the benefits. Now, what the world needs is to see governing bodies of sports begin to really tighten down on testing and conviction. Like most things, people will slip through the cracks and get away with these activities, but with new advances in technology, the number of people that can get away will be greatly reduced. As an athlete and spectator myself, I would absolutely love to see sports get a good cleansing. By doing this research, I hope that I will be able to better educate people on how blood doping is an activity that needs to completely vanish. Let us see what this world can do without it.
Ian C. Marzke
Mrs. Culver
Honors English 10
March 27, 2012
Works Cited
Austen, Ian. "Contador Loses Tour Title In Doping Case." International Herald Tribune. 07
Feb. 2012: 12. eLibrary. Web. 09 Mar. 2012.
Beckham, Darren. "Blood Doping: Is It Really Worth It?" N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.
"Blood Boosting." University of Iowa Health Care. N.p., 19 Oct. 2006. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.
Eichner, E. Randy. "Anemia And Blood Boosting." Gatorade Sports Science Institute. N.p.,
2001. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.
"EPO Explained." BBC Sport. N.p., 28 Jan. 2006. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.
"Erythropoietin." N.p., Feb. 2005. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.
Marks, Bonita L. "Blood Doping." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2012. Web. 9 Mar.
2012.
Marzke, Ian. Survey of Facebook Friends. 12 March 2012.
Ruibal, Sal. "Blood doping: How It Works And How It Is Detected." USA Today 5 Oct. 2010:
1+. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.
Mrs. Culver
Honors English 10
March 27, 2012
Final Draft
Veins pulsing, the cyclist shifts into the bike's highest gear, pushing and pounding on the pedals. With each rotation of the crank, his legs begin to feel the built-up lactic acid. His breathing is shallow and hurried, and his chances of finishing the race are quickly dissipating. He needs this race. He wants it. But he is quickly realizing that without help, his chances of accomplishing this goal are not going to be plausible.
It is not a new phenomenon, but endurance athletes are always trying to find ways to beat their competition. They train harder, eat smarter, and in some cases, even participate in illegal activities such as blood doping to bring their athletic capabilities to the next level. In particular, the sport of cycling has recently seen an increase in the amount of athletes being suspended for activities they performed in the hopes of accomplishing one goal and purpose—winning. With improvements in technology, it is becoming even easier to enhance performance, but I feel that athletes are taking it too far. Has winning “clean” completely gone out the door in our society?
What professional athletes do not realize is that by participating in illegal practices such as blood doping, they are hurting their sport—our sport. Tour de France titles have been stripped, and the sport is now getting unwanted publicity. Indeed, many people are now looking at cycling as a cheaters’ sport. I, being a fan, am greatly disappointed in what these athletes are doing not only to themselves, but also to the sport in which they compete. Blood doping, an unethical and possibly life-threatening action, is becoming quite common in endurance athletics. Today, new methods of detection have allowed for guilty athletes to be rightfully convicted.
Being an avid cyclist, swimmer, and triathlete, I chose the topic of blood doping to gain a complete understanding of what it is and how it may affect athletes seeking an increase in athletic performance. In addition, in the summer of 2010, I attended the Tour de France. I saw Alberto Contador, one of the greatest cyclists in the past few years, win the grueling 20-stage race. In the months following the race, however, evidence was found that he participated in blood doping and other practices in order to get him to the top of the podium. As a huge fan of the sport, I was severely disappointed to hear this. Essentially, I was curious how much blood doping really helped him.
To start the research process, I used the online databases provided to us through the St. Joseph High School Media Center web page. The most useful of these happened to be World Book Online. The very short and succinct article they provided gave me a very basic understanding of what blood doping was, the methods of use, and forms of detection. From here, I was able to search specific terms using Google such as “EPO.” The majority of my research articles were found with this method. They were from major newspapers such as USA Today to conference papers written by professors on the subject. However, I was not able to find a viable book on the subject. All in all, the physical research took me about five days, and within the short week, I was able to gain a pretty good understanding of what blood doping is, and how it has evolved.
Before discussing the subject of blood doping in detail, I feel that a few ideas must be understood. To start, if you are or were an athlete at any point in your life, you will understand the concept that our muscles need a lot of oxygen when they are working hard. In particular, endurance athletes, such as cyclists, swimmers, and cross country skiers, need a large amount of oxygen in order to keep their muscles moving for long periods of time. When the body struggles to get oxygen carried to the muscles, something called “oxygen debt” sets in. At this point, lactic acid is formed because the body begins anaerobic cellular respiration. Almost everyone is familiar with the soreness or burning felt in the legs or arms either during or after a long competition or workout. This pain is the result of lactic acid production, which most athletes look to avoid. According to Darren Beckham of Texarkana College, “Three percent of oxygen is carried in solution (plasma) and 97 percent is bound to hemoglobin, the principle protein in erythrocytes (red blood cells)” (1). With this information in mind, in order to reduce fatigue and soreness within the muscles, more oxygen must be readily available to transport. So by increasing the quantity of hemoglobin, this problem can be solved (Beckham 1).
According to Bonita L. Marks, Ph.D., “Blood doping is the practice of increasing the number of red blood cells in the body to improve athletic performance” (1). There are, however, a couple of ways to accomplish this. The original way to blood dope was through transfusions. To do this, the athlete would remove blood, one to three pints to be exact, from their own bodies (Marks 1). At this point, “This blood is then frozen and stored for six to eight weeks. The athlete continues training with a reduced amount of blood” (“Blood Boosting” 1). As the athlete continues to train without his or her full amount of blood, the body slowly replaces what was taken (“Blood Boosting” 1). A few days before the athlete’s major competition, the blood cells that were frozen and put aside are now brought back out, thawed, and re-injected into the body (Marks 1). When this process is done correctly, the athlete’s blood will have an increased number of red blood cells (RBC’s), which will allow the athlete to carry a greater amount of oxygen to the muscles, reducing fatigue and allowing for greater endurance (“Blood Boosting” 1).
With improvements in medical science and technology, however, blood doping has evolved, allowing athletes to increase their RBC count in new, easier ways. For example, erythropoietin, referred to as EPO, is a protein hormone that is naturally produced in the kidneys. The presence of this hormone results in the production of more RBC’s (Marks 1). However, this naturally occurring hormone can be produced artificially in the lab, allowing athletes an easier way to get their hands on this drug (“EPO Explained” 1). Essentially, instead of drawing blood and storing it, athletes are now able to inject themselves with EPO. The entire process is much cleaner and is extremely difficult to be detected because the hormone happens to occur naturally in the body (“Erythropoietin” 2). According to the article entitled “Erythropoietin,” after an athlete shoots up with EPO, “it [erythropoietin] binds with receptors in the bone marrow, where it stimulates the production of red blood cells (erythrocytes)” (2). Originally, this synthetic drug was produced to treat serious forms of anemia, but then athletes began using it for their own benefit (Marks 1).
The sole purpose of participating in such activities such as blood doping is to enhance athletic potential and endurance. However, what many people don’t understand is that there are also negative impacts that go along with these activities. Like I previously mentioned, blood doping increases hemoglobin levels so that the body is then able to carry more oxygen to the working muscles. However, if these hemoglobin levels get too high, the blood begins to become more viscous, which puts more strain on the heart because it has to pump thicker blood throughout the body (Beckham 2). To be more specific, the thickness of blood is determined by the hematocrit level (“Erythropoietin” 3). The article “Erythropoietin” explains hematocrit best by saying “Whole blood consists of red blood cells and plasma (water, proteins, etc). The percentage of whole blood that is occupied by the red blood cells is referred to as, the hematocrit. A low hematocrit means dilute (thin) blood, and a high hematocrit means concentrated (thick) blood” (3). If the blood begins to become too thick, there is a chance that the capillaries will clog, which can result in stroke, heart attack, or maybe even death. In addition, there are specific dangers associated with EPO alone, which can include “sudden death during sleep [...] and the development of antibodies against EPO” (“Erythropoietin” 3).
Ultimately, like myself, many people would like to see the “dirty” athletes get caught, tried, and suspended from competition. However, blood doping is extremely hard to detect. Like I mentioned earlier, EPO is a hormone that is naturally found in the body. In addition, transfusions are simply the replacement of red blood cells to increase the quantity of hemoglobin, a protein that is also naturally found in the body. Although this is the case, there are still ways to detect this prohibited activity. One method is to analyze an athlete’s blood, or in particular, the hematocrit (Marks 1). According to Bonita L. Marks, “Females have an average hematocrit of about 38 percent, while males average about 42 percent. A hematocrit over 55 percent may indicate blood doping” (1). This is one method of detection, but it is not an exact science. For example, top-level athletes “live high and train low” in order to enhance their performance. Unlike blood doping, altitude training is completely legal and can also enhance a person’s hematocrit level, showing that not all athletes who have a high hematocrit are participating in illegal, performance-enhancing activities (Marks 1). Fortunately, modern technology has brought about a new method of detection. In the year 2000, a new two-part test was developed to help detect the use of EPO. The International Olympic Committee for the Sydney Olympics brought about this particular test. The two parts include a urine test and a blood test, and both must be confirmed positive for any athlete to receive suspensions or other types of punishment (Eichner 3).
Due to the fact that testing has greatly improved these past few years, it seems that athletes are now being determined guilty more frequently. This past February (2012), for example, Alberto Contador, a triple winner of the Tour de France, was found guilty of using certain drugs to enhance his performance during the 2010 Tour, which he ended up winning. Ian Austen of the International Herald Tribune wrote, “The decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, which overturns a ruling by the Spanish cycling federation, means that Contador will be banned from racing for two years” (1). This suspension means that he will be missing both the 2012 Tour de France and the 2012 summer Olympics in London. In addition to this punishment, Contador will lose his 2010 title for the Tour de France, as well as all results of that season. One of the drugs found in his body was clenbuterol, which supposedly helps riders in the mountains. Although this drug can be found in meat and can therefore be found in the body as a result of eating it, another substance was found in his body that showed he was most definitely involved in performance enhancing activities. This was a chemical component known as plasticizers, which is usually found in certain medical products such as I.V. bags and tubing. The fact that he tested positive for this certain chemical helps to prove that Contador may have been taking part in blood doping (Austen 1). Whenever an athlete violates the rules of his or her sport by partaking in particular activities such as blood doping, WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) can suspend athletes from competition. Also, if the athlete gets a hold of the drugs illegally, more severe forms of punishment, such as criminal charges, can be filed (Ruibal 2).
Every day, I am almost positive that athletes of all sports practice harder, eat smarter, and get more sleep in order to enhance their athletic potential and abilities. However, like the rider I described at the beginning, everyone has a point in which they cannot increase their endurance or performance anymore by these means. So, these athletes sometimes partake in illegal activities such as blood transfusions or EPO. These drugs may help the athletes in the short term, but often there are many negative side effects as well. In addition, whenever a role model of a sport is caught, the sport receives unwanted publicity and a bad image. I would like to see all sports become clean as they once were. Spectators don’t want to see unnatural abilities; they want to see how athletes perform with their God-given talents. According to a small survey I conducted, 93.3 percent of my responders believe that professional athletes should not be allowed to enhance their performance through blood doping. Also, 40 percent of my responders believe that guilty athletes deserve a multiple year suspension from competition, while 53.3 percent believe that these particular athletes deserve a multiple month suspension. These statistics were taken from a survey of 20 people via Facebook (Marzke).
In conclusion, my research shows that the issues of blood doping greatly outweigh the benefits. Now, what the world needs is to see governing bodies of sports begin to really tighten down on testing and conviction. Like most things, people will slip through the cracks and get away with these activities, but with new advances in technology, the number of people that can get away will be greatly reduced. As an athlete and spectator myself, I would absolutely love to see sports get a good cleansing. By doing this research, I hope that I will be able to better educate people on how blood doping is an activity that needs to completely vanish. Let us see what this world can do without it.
Ian C. Marzke
Mrs. Culver
Honors English 10
March 27, 2012
Works Cited
Austen, Ian. "Contador Loses Tour Title In Doping Case." International Herald Tribune. 07
Feb. 2012: 12. eLibrary. Web. 09 Mar. 2012.
Beckham, Darren. "Blood Doping: Is It Really Worth It?" N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.
"Blood Boosting." University of Iowa Health Care. N.p., 19 Oct. 2006. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.
Eichner, E. Randy. "Anemia And Blood Boosting." Gatorade Sports Science Institute. N.p.,
2001. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.
"EPO Explained." BBC Sport. N.p., 28 Jan. 2006. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.
"Erythropoietin." N.p., Feb. 2005. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.
Marks, Bonita L. "Blood Doping." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2012. Web. 9 Mar.
2012.
Marzke, Ian. Survey of Facebook Friends. 12 March 2012.
Ruibal, Sal. "Blood doping: How It Works And How It Is Detected." USA Today 5 Oct. 2010:
1+. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.