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Blood profiles in elite cross‐country skiers: a 6‐year follow‐up
Author(s) -
Morkeberg J.,
Saltin B.,
Belhage B.,
Damsgaard R.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2008.00770.x
Subject(s) - cross country , hemoglobin , demography , medicine , zoology , biology , demographic economics , sociology , economics
Following the doping scandals at the World Championships in cross‐country skiing in 2001, the International Ski Federation decided to generate individual blood profiles. From 2001 to 2007, 7081 blood samples from 1074 male and female elite cross‐country skiers were collected and analyzed for hemoglobin concentration [Hb] and % reticulocytes (%rets). Data were applied to blood algorithms wherefrom blood model scores were calculated. From 1997–1999 to 2001–2002, the mean [Hb] was reduced by 0.9 g/dL to 15.3 g/dL in male skiers and by 0.4 g/dL to 13.8 in female skiers. From 2002–2003 to 2006–2007, the combination of increases in [Hb] and decreases in %rets led to pronounced increases in mean OFF‐model scores. [Hb] was 0.2 g/dL higher at Olympic Games/World Championships (WOCs) than at World Cups competitions <4 weeks before and after WOCs. [Hb] and %rets increased with altitude in both genders. Since the introduction of an enlarged blood testing program, the mean [Hb] values were lowered to close to normal levels, but over the last 2–3 years there has been a small elevation and an increase in OFF‐model scores, which may indicate a change in the manipulations used to elevate the [Hb].