Erythropoietin (EPO)

EPO is a well known drug that has traditionally been used for medicinal purposes involving patients with anemia and kidney disease. These patients use EPO to boost the number of red blood cells to adequate levels to regain their energy and aerobic capacity. 

EPO: Controversial pharmaceutical 

EPO came to light in the early 90’s through the sport of cycling. Professional riders in the Tour de France were caught using EPO to benefit their performances. Allowing for the increase in red blood cells that EPO would provide gave the cyclists a doping effect by increasing the transport of oxygen to the muscles. This leads to improvements in performance, which can give endurance athletes such as cyclists or marathon runners a large advantage over other athletes.

EPO for Healing 

New investigations are focusing on the efficacy and other therapeutic benefits of EPO. Numerous studies have shown that EPO is therapeutically beneficial when it is administered to animals with acute and chronic skin wounds and burns. This is important because research is pointing to the fact that EPO could be the next miracle healing drug for many injuries involving not just skin, but muscles, tendons and ligaments. 

EPO has shown to act on nonhematopoietic cells which are involved in the innate immune response where it promotes cellular proliferation and differentiation. EPO also has cytoprotective actions, and inhibits apoptosis. Along with these prohealing effects EPO also shortens the inflammatory process and stimulates blood vessel growth allowing for rapid healing of cutaneous tissues.

Epo: Positive impact on mood  

In a recently published study it has been proved that EPO also drastically increases motivation in the brain as soon as it has been injected, without the number of red blood cells increasing.

It is now being speculated that EPO probably has an impact on people’s moods, too. It could possibly  be used in patients who suffer from depression. The latest experiments conducted by a research group reveal that EPO can also alleviate the condition of patients suffering from schizophrenia by improving their mental performance. 

EPO for Anti Aging 

The performance enhancing effects from EPO are undeniable. The drug has been a mainstay in sport for nearly 30 years. Cyclists, MMA fighters, boxers, track and field athletes have all benefited from this unique compound. Now that science has proven alternative benefits including faster healing and cognitive improvements we may see a resurgence of EPO in Anti Aging Medicine. Correcting and optimizing red blood cell counts can be the most powerful performance enhancing tool for athletes. Having a higher blood cell count will allow the athlete to train harder, longer and most importantly, recover faster. These medications should always be used under the care of a medical professional to ensure safety and effectiveness of the protocol for the athlete.