It is illegal for athletes to take steroids or any other type of drugs, so they rely on blood doping. Just before an event, an athlete takes drugs. In doing so, they take a substance to increase the number of red blood cells. As erythrocytes rise, oxygen is easily transported to the muscle, improving the athlete's performance. The main types of blood doping use are synthetic oxygen carriers, blood transfusions and erythropoietin (EPO). Purified proteins or chemicals with the ability to transport oxygen are called synthetic oxygen carriers. Some examples of these are hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) or perfluorocarbons (PFCs). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay This leads to a risk of cardiovascular disease. Synthetic oxygen carriers are mainly used in emergencies when human blood is not available, but the risk of cross-breeding of different blood types is high. Fortunately, there is a test created in 2004 to indicate if some form of blood doping is being used. Blood transfusions are a less common form of blood doping. The two types of blood transfusions used are autologous and homologous. Autologous is when an athlete uses their own blood. They refrigerate or freeze the blood and just before an event, they perform a transfusion. This process has many risk factors. Blood must be stored properly in order to remain viable and the procedure must be performed correctly. Homologous blood transfusions involve blood from another human of the same blood type. This carries the risk of viruses transmitted through transfusion. Blood transfusions as a form of blood doping date back decades, but there is only a test to detect whether the homologous form is being used. Erythropoietin (EPO) is a natural human hormone produced by the kidney and stimulates red blood cells in the bone marrow. Red blood cells go directly to the muscles and can increase the body's ability to buffer lactic acid. If a human suffers from anemia related to kidney disease, EPO can be put to good use for therapeutic purposes. But for an athlete, EPO in the form of blood doping is not a good deal. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Personalized Trial EPO use can lead to heart disease, stroke, and cerebral or pulmonary embolism due to blood thickening. In some cases, autoimmune diseases have been cited for EPO. a 200° test detected EPO use in blood and urine. Then, in 2003, a test using only urine to detect use was developed. I believe blood doping should be illegal because it affects the process of something that is supposed to happen naturally. Red blood cells are supposed to flow naturally to working muscles, not be forced there by any substance. Many risks arise from this. For example, a heart attack, stroke or blood clotting. If it is illegal for an athlete to use steroids that produce testosterone to gain muscle, why should they be allowed to resort to blood doping ?.