How Epo Enhances Performance

EPO stimulates the production of red blood cells in bone marrow and regulates the concentration of red blood cells and haemoglobin in the blood. This is useful for athletes, since red blood cells shuttle oxygen to the cells, including muscle cells, enabling them to operate more effectively.

How does EPO increase production of energy?

Erythropoietin production is stimulated by low oxygen levels in interstitial cells of the peritubular capillaries in the kidneys. Following its production in the kidneys, EPO travels to the bone marrow where it stimulates production of red blood cells (RBC’s) [2].

What stimulates EPO?

Indeed, the specific stimulus for Epo expression is a fall in tissue O2 pressure ( ). Epo production increases under hypoxic conditions in the kidneys and, in minor amounts, in distinct other organs such as the liver and the brain.