ABSTRACT

Erythrocyte volume expansion can be a powerful ergogenic aid which acts through multiple physiological mechanisms. Athletes have employed a variety of procedures to induce erythrocyte volume expansion to improve competitive performance. Some expansion procedures are “natural” while others are “artificial” and deemed to be unethical, and unfair to competition – and possibly to pose serious health risks.1 The purposes of this chapter are: (1) to provide information on “normal” erythrocyte volumes in healthy adults; (2) to describe the impact of several “natural” (physical training and environmental exposure) and “artificial” (erythrocyte infusion and erythropoietin administration) methods of expanding erythrocyte volume; (3) to describe the relationship between erythrocyte volume expansion and exercise performance; and (4) to briefly review several detection approaches employed to detect “artificial” erythrocyte volume expansion, or blood doping.