Blood Doping

&
Diuretics
Blood Doping
refers to a handful of
techniques used to
increase an
individual's oxygen-
carrying red blood
cells, and in turn,
improve athletic
performance
Three types of
Blood Doping
• Injections of
erythropoietin
(EPO)
• Injections of
synthetic oxygen
carriers
• Blood Transfusion
Injections of
erythropoietin (EPO)
EPO is a hormone produced by
the kidney. It regulates the body's
production of red blood cells.
Red blood cells are a renewable
resource with a limited lifespan of
about 120 days, have an
intracellular protein content of
about 95% hemoglobin, a
tetrameric globular protein that
binds oxygen cooperatively, and
function primarily to transport
oxygen from the lungs to the
tissues.
Injections of synthetic
oxygen carriers
(AOC)
These are chemicals that
have the ability to carry
oxygen. 
Two examples are:
HBOCs (hemoglobin-
based oxygen carriers)
PFCs (perfluorocarbons)
Blood Transfusion
In normal medical practice, patients may
undergo blood transfusions to replace blood
lost due to injury or surgery.

Illicit blood transfusions are used by athletes

to boost performance. There are two types.
Autologous transfusion. This involves a
transfusion of the athlete's own blood,
which is drawn and then stored for future
use.
Homologous transfusion. In this type of
transfusion, athletes use the blood of
someone else with the same blood type.
Thiazide diuretics
Thiazides are the most
commonly prescribed
diuretics. They’re most
often used to treat high
blood pressure. These
drugs not only decrease
fluids, they also cause
your blood vessels to
relax.
Loop Diuretics
are a group of diuretic
medications primarily
used to treat fluid
overload in edematous
conditions such as heart
failure and cirrhosis.
Potassium-sparing
Diuretics
reduce fluid levels in
your body without
causing you to
lose potassium, an
important nutrient.
Carbonic Anhydrase
Inhibitors
are a medication used to
manage and treat
glaucoma, idiopathic
intracranial
hypertension, altitude
sickness, congestive
heart failure, and
epilepsy, among other
diseases.