Of intermittent hypoxia and doping

Excerpt

Sanchis-Gomar et al. (2009) performed an interesting experiment on rats, who had received 500 IU of rHuEPO-alpha three times a week for 2 weeks. These rats were then divided into two groups: one group was exposed intermittently to hypoxia (equivalent altitude of 4,000 m, 12 h per day), the other was not. The rats of the former group had variations of haematological parameters that are coherent with the concept of altitude acclimatization. This includes, of course, an increase in endogenous EPO, so that the erythropoietic stimulation index was altered. So, the authors conclude, intermittent hypoxic treatment after rHuEPO-alpha administration can significantly modify the main haematological parameters tested by the anti-doping authorities. Consequently, Lippi and Franchini argue in their letter that intermittent hypoxic training should be banned as a doping procedure. They seem to overlook the fact that rats were exposed to an equivalent altitude of 4,000 m, which is not exactly the altitude were athletes use to go, but this is not a main point: some athletes could well spend 12 h per day (over night, for instance) in a hypobaric chambers at that altitude. …