Pregledni rad
https://doi.org/10.69589/hsv.40.2.2
PHYSIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF ERYTHROPOIETIN ON ENDURANCE SPORTS PERFORMANCE
Domagoj Jakovac
orcid.org/0009-0004-0290-1117
; University of Zagreb, School of Dental Medicine
*
Marko Belamarić
orcid.org/0000-0002-0552-8264
; Croatian Institute of Public Health
* Dopisni autor.
Sažetak
Erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein hormone primarily synthesized in the kidney that plays a critical role in regulating red blood cell production by stimulating erythropoiesis through erythropoietin receptors (EPOr) on bone marrow progenitor cells. Its production is induced under hypoxic conditions via hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). Beyond haematopoiesis, EPO demonstrates diverse effects, including neuroprotection, cardioprotection, immune modulation, and metabolic regulation. In endurance sports, one of the earliest strategies used to enhance erythropoiesis in athletes was exposing the organism to high-altitude environments. As such, altitude exposure became one of the foundational techniques in the realm of blood doping, serving as a non-pharmacological approach. Since its introduction in the late 1980s, recombinant human EPO (rHuEPO) has been widely misused for performance enhancement due to its capacity to increase oxygen delivery. This misuse has led to the development of sophisticated antidoping measures, including direct detection of synthetic EPO isoforms and indirect monitoring of biological markers such as haemoglobin levels and reticulocyte counts through the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP). Emerging gene doping technologies, which involve the manipulation of genes to enhance EPO production, present future challenges for anti-doping efforts. These advances underscore the need for ongoing innovation in detection and regulation strategies to preserve integrity in sports.
Ključne riječi
erythropoietin, recombinant human erythropoietin, hypoxia-inducible factor; altitude training, blood doping
Hrčak ID:
340601
URI
Datum izdavanja:
9.12.2025.
Posjeta: 1.410 *