Drugs Biology Flashcards
What is EPO
Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone produces naturally in the kidneys, it’s role is to stimulate red blood cells to be made. The resulting rise in red cells increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood
What are the effect on EPO
Increased risk of heart attacks and strokes caused of stress on the heart because the red has thickened
Increased of number of red blood cells and the lost water due to a race result in the becoming even thicker and probably clotting
Increased of Pancreatic cancers
Increased of Liver damage
Why athletes take EPO to enhance their performance
By taking EPO for athletes gave more advantage in a competition as the drug stored of more oxygen in red blood cells which means more respiration which also leads to more energy (glucose) released around the body and that means work hard for longer, and the body produces less Lactic Acid, it takes like a buffer. This is why many athletes to take EPO are more physically advantage as they had more oxygen in their body than the others
