Effects of prolonged low doses of recombinant human erythropoietin during submaximal and maximal exercise

Influence of recombinant human erythropoietin treatment on pulmonary O2 uptake kinetics during exercise in humans

“…As expected, four weeks of RhEPO treatment (150 IU (kg body mass) −1 week −1 ) resulted in a significant increase in both [Hb] and Hct, with no change in the control group. The time course and magnitude of the effects of RhEPO on [Hb] and Hct in our study was similar to those reported in previous studies (Berglund & Ekblom, 1991; Birkeland et al 2000; Parisotto et al 2000; Russell et al 2002; Connes et al 2003), and can be calculated to have improved the arterial blood O 2 ‐carrying capacity by ∼7%. With the assumption that muscle blood flow was not attenuated during exercise following RhEPO treatment (see ‘’), this would represent an increase in the bulk O 2 delivery to muscle also of the order of 7%.…”

“…The absolute HR at any specific time point was typically 1–2% lower after, compared to before, RhEPO treatment (much less than the 7% improvement in arterial O 2 ‐carrying capacity). A similarly small reduction in HR during submaximal exercise following RhEPO treatment has been reported previously (Russell et al 2002; Connes et al 2003). Collectively, these results, along with the significant improvement in , suggest that muscle O 2 delivery was probably enhanced following RhEPO treatment.…”

“…1). The 7% improvement in with RhEPO treatment is very similar to that reported previously (Ekblom & Berglund, 1991; Birkeland et al 2000; Parisotto et al 2000; Russell et al 2002; Connes et al 2003), and supports the notion that the is primarily limited by the capacity of the cardiovascular system to deliver O 2 to the exercising muscles (Saltin & Strange, 1992; Wagner, 2000; Gonzalez‐Alonso & Calbet, 2003). It is not clear whether microvascular haematocrit was enhanced in line with systemic haematocrit following RhEPO treatment but, if so, then it is possible that an enhanced diffusional O 2 conductance might have contributed to the increased (Wagner, 1996; Wagner, 2000).…”

Tour de France, Giro, Vuelta, and classic European races show a unique progression of road cycling speed in the last 20 years

“…Some studies quantified the effect of EPO on performance in volunteering athletes by measuring maximal oxygen uptake (V O2max). These studies showed a 6.3-6.9% increase in V O2max (Ashenden et al, 2001;Birkeland et al, 2000;Parisotto et al, 2000), with a significant elevation that remained 4 weeks after the cessation of drug administration (Russell, Gore, Ashenden, Parisotto, & Hahn, 2002). These findings confirm that rHuEPO doping provides a significant physiological advantage consistent with the increase in road cycling performance shown in the present study.…”

Energetics of Muscular Exercise

“…Also the effects of acute manipulations of the cardiovascular oxygen transport system on _ V O 2max were widely investigated. _ V O 2max was found to be lower in acute anaemia than in normaemia (Celsing et al 1987;Krip et al 1997;Woodson et al 1978) and higher in acute polycythaemia than in normaemia (Buick et al 1980;Celsing et al 1987;Ekblom et al 1975Ekblom et al , 1976Spriet et al 1986;Turner et al 1993), and after erythropoietin administration (Russell et al 2002;Thomsen et al 2007). _ V O 2max is reduced also when small quantities of carbon monoxide are added to inspired air (Ekblom and Huot 1972;Pirnay et al 1971;Vogel and Gleser 1972).…”