“Ironomics” of Athletes’ Blood Doping
September 13, 2016 | Terry Sharrer
Autologous blood transfusions (aka “blood doping”) among elite athletes are supposed to be common means of cheating because they currently are undetectable, though the practice is banned. Researchers at the Swiss Lab for Doping Analysis, in the University of Lausanne’s Center for Legal Medicine, believe that iron-related biomarkers—transferrin, hepcidin and erythoferrone—appear to be indicators of autologous blood transfusions, though there are “confounding factors” in altitude, gender and training level that have to be resolved before testing agencies can add “ironomics” to an “athlete’s biological passport.” MORE
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