Blood doping Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Blood doping - Essay Example f blood doping substances and marked it as illegal in the year 1985 but athletes who employed this technique before this period could not be caught until a few of them like Kaarlo Maaninka admitted that he had opted for blood doping (Fotheringam; Hoyt). Blood doping is an unethical and unlawful act used by athletes for performing better in sports but it needs to be understood that this act has harmful health effects and it also has financial implications. Different ways are used for blood doping. Transfusions form one of the ways which is used for blood doping. Either the blood from the athlete himself is stored and then later transfused or the blood from another person is used for the transfusion. These transfusions are made a short while before the commencement of an event. EPO which is a hormone synthesized that increases the red blood cells in the body is another way used. It is injected by the athletes. All of these methods provide for health risks for the athlete. The common side effect that is promoted by blood doping is the increase in the red blood cells in the blood. This leads to make the blood thick and results in clots being formed. Thus, an increased the risk of cardiovascular attacks and the formation of emboli is seen (Hoyt). EPO has other side effects as well which appear when an individual resorts to using it for a long time. These effects include a reduction in the weight of an individual, sleeplessness, muscle ach e and a heavy head (Reinberg). Transfusions from a donor come with many risks and this can clearly be seen with the example of the cyclist Jesus Manzano in the year 2003. Manzano had a transfusion reaction which put him in a lethal condition. He described his condition by saying, â€Å"I was shivering; I felt colder than if Id been at the North Pole. If theyd put in half a litre, I would have gone home in a box.† Using one’s one transfusion also has its own negative side. Owing to the blood drawn from the athlete, he may suffer from