Table 2 Changes of haematological variables related to various doping practices

Blood transfusion doping

Damsgaard et al. [20]

Recreational athletes (n = 10)

Haematological parameters were measured in 10 healthy male subjects at baseline and after the withdrawal of 20% (1.3 L) of the subjects’ blood volume on d 0, + 1, + 3, + 7, + 14, + 21 and + 28 (W) and after reinfusion of 0.8 L of packed RBCs on d 0, + 1, + 3, + 7, + 14 and + 21 (R)

↓ − 14% (W + 1)

↑ + 45% (W + 1)

↓ − 38% (W + 1)

↓ − 15% (W + 1)

–

↑ + 4% (R + 1)

↓ − 38% (R + 7)

↑ + 10% (R + 1)

↑ + 4% (R + 1)

Lamberti et al. [21]

Recreational athletes (n = 24)

Blood samples were taken from the subjects at baseline and after withdrawal and reinfusion of 450 mL of refrigerated or cryopreserved blood. Measurements were taken at baseline (D-40), withdrawal (D-25), reinfusion (D-0) and D + 3, D + 6 and D + 15

↓ − 6% (− 25 d)

↑ + 57% (− 25 d)

↓ − 25% (− 25 d)

↓ − 6% (− 25 d)

–

↑ + 6% (3 d)

↓ − 23% (6 d)

↑ + 10% (3 d)

↑ + 6% (3 d)

Bejder et al. [22]

Cyclists (n = 9)

Nine highly trained male subjects donated two 450 mL blood bags each (BT) or were sham phlebotomised (PLA). Four weeks later, a 650-kcal time trial (n = 7) was performed 3 d before and 2 h after receiving either ~ 50% (135 mL) of the RBC or a sham transfusion

↑ + 3% (2 h)

= (NS)

–

↑ + 3% (2 h)

–

Carbon monoxide exposure

Schmidt et al. [23]

Recreational athletes (n = 22)

Subjects inhaled a pre-determined CO bolus five times per day, starting at 8 a.m. and then every 4 h until midnight. Subjects were allowed to sleep from midnight to 8 a.m. without taking a CO bolus

↑ + 4% (2 weeks)

↑ + 16% (1 weeks)

= (NS)

↑ + 4% (2 weeks)

= (NS)

Desmopressin use

Sanchis-Gomar et al. [24]

Recreational athletes (n = 8)

Venous blood samples were obtained from eight physically active males on two occasions. On the first occasion, the subjects ingested 1.5 L of mineral water and 4.3 μg·kg⁻¹ of desmopressin (T1). On the second occasion, the subjects ingested 1.5 L of mineral water (T2)

↓ − 9% (T1)

= (NS)

↓ − 10% (T1)

↓ − 8% (T1)

–

Xenon use

Dias et al. [25]

Recreational athletes (n = 22)

Three independent experimental protocols were completed to achieve the individual aims of this study. To determine the chronic effects, eight subjects breathed F_iXe 70% for 2 min on 7 consecutive days

↓ − 7% (15 d)

= (NS)

–

↓ − 8% (15 d)

↑ + 14% (15 d)