In search of EPO

It's a Sunday afternoon as we slumber into the fall season where Ironman's and Marathons become the weekly ritual. For many it will be the first in a string of events to come. I always ask people what makes them want to run 26.5 miles once let alone several years in a row. I need not look any further than right inside to find the answer.

This wandering thought has really little to do with what made me begin to start this blurb. In the middle of reviewing recent traffic reports to our site I came across some interesting information.... there is still a huge market for the banned drug EPO (Erythropoietin) among athletes or just the general public (though our business doesn't cater to the average Joe). The number of people Googling EPO and where to find it is astounding.

I'll be the first to admit wanting to do just about anything to improve my performance, but blood doping and benefits just don't out way the irreparable damage one can do to their bodies using banned substances. After all, they are banned for a reason right? Obviously many banned substances don't have the potential to inflict harm on the body that using a drug like EPO can cause.

Why is EPO dangerous?
"The reason that EPO, and transfusion blood doping, is dangerous is because of increased blood viscosity. Basically, 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 mean concentrated (thick) blood. Above a certain hematocrit level whole blood can sludge and clog capillaries. If this happens in the brain it results in a stroke. In the heart, a heart attack. Unfortunately, this has happened to several elite athletes who have used EPO.

EPO use is especially dangerous to athletes who exercise over prolonged periods. A well-conditioned endurance athlete is more dehydration resistant than a sedentary individual. The body accomplishes this by several methods, but one key component is to “hold on” to more water at rest. Circulating whole blood is one location in which this occurs and, thus, can function as a water reservoir. During demanding exercise, as fluid losses mount, water is shifted out of the blood stream (hematocrit rises). If one is already starting with an artificially elevated hematocrit then you can begin to see the problem -- it is a short trip to the critical “sludge zone”.

Additional dangers of EPO include sudden death during sleep, which has killed approximately 18 pro cyclists in the past fifteen years, and the development of antibodies directed against EPO. In this later circumstance the individual develops anemia as a result of the body’s reaction against repeated EPO injections." Mark Jenkins

Doesn't sounds like a whole lot of fun if something goes south on an athlete using EPO. If you're not here to wear the jersey then whats the point.

I've been way behind in actually getting this out as you may have surmised from the intro. I started writing this back towards the end of September, but post as the Midwest winter approaches. I'll do better. I promise. For now, performance-enhancing drugs like EPO are illegal, so athletes who use them are cheaters. And, given the health risks associated with the drug why would any healthy athlete want to risk using it.

Comments

[Erica Cupuro]

It's Memorial Day Weekend. The Soldier Field 10-Miler and the Bike the Drive make a great duo of events for a weekend warrior. We added to our weekend rituals with our own endurance activity. To save in paying parking twice we walked from Millenium Park to Little Italy carrying a 56 pound 7-year-old and a 34 pound 3-year-old. We were dressed for the Lake Effect Breeze but endured the Expressway Blast. I was wearing a bra-tank that I exposed because I was hot but maybe I was secretly hoping to get picked up as a hitch-hiker. Of course, once we got to our destination, I had to have a few frosty beverages to rehydrate. Here it is Monday when I am typically exhausted from my kids, my athletic endeavors, and my favorite sport of 12-ounce curls; and I am fully recovered from the weekend (with an extra day to spare). I think I have Replacement Fuel to thank. I have been taking it for a month now to help my summer season of triathlons. At first trying to down 10 pills a day seemed like an event in and of itself, but once I got used to it I don't know what I'd do without it. I work in the schools, and from Spring break to this time of the year, everyone has been sick at least with one bad cold. I have not even had a sniffle. My immunity and energy is up 100%. I give this new product a thumbs up.

[ProLine Sports Nutrition]

Erica is referring to a new endurance supplement called "Runner's Pulse Maintenance"

Created specifically for runners, RPM contains essential ingredients, including vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, our proprietary adaptogenic blend (Cordyceps sinesis mycelia extract, Ciwuja root extract, Rhodiola rosea root extract and Panax ginseng root extract) , Glucosamine, and Celadrin. This powerful combination drastically improves and maintains your body's energy, endurance, and health while you run, after you run, and all day, every day.