There are different cycles for defferent people and aims
Erythropoietin (EPO) is a very powerful natural hormone, which increases the amount of red blood cells (erythrocytes).As a result, it increases the volume of oxygen transferred to tissues and organs. Since the endurance of muscles depends on consumption of oxygen, EPO greatly increases the endurance of an athlete.
In this article we will discuss how to use EPO safely.
One should mention that the increased amount of erythrocytes can thicken the blood. This can be problematic, since it increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, which can be fatal. However, if you take it wisely this outcome is extremely rare. Some athletes take it for years without any side effects. The best example is famous runner Christian Hesch
One can administer EPO intravenously (IV) or subcutaneously (sub-Q). In case of IV administration the peak levels will be approximately in fifteen minutes, where as the peak of sub-Q administration takes up to 24 hours. However, Sub-Q peaked levels may vary depending on the physiological properties of an organism.
The half-life may also vary depending on the type of administration. Sub-Q half-life is usually 24 hours, whereas IV half-life will be within 6-12 hours. Therefore, no matter how you administer EPO, you should stop using it few days before the competition in order to avoid positive results in doping tests.
EPO dosage
The weekly therapeutic dose of Erythropoietin is within the range of 50-300 units per kilogram of body weight (KBW). That is, an 80kg athlete should take 4000 IU injection once a week.
You should start using EPO several weeks before the contest. Most athletes report improvement of results in a couple of weeks (increase of hematocrit level by 3-4 %). However,you should not take erythropoietin for more than 6 weeks, since it may lead to side effects.
There is a common schedule of EPO intake
Week 1-3 loading phase – 4500-12000 IU a week
Week 4-6 supportive phase – 3000-4000 IU a week
It is better to divide the weekly dosage into three separate injections. Note that more frequent and smaller injections are better than single big one, as it is more natural for the body and decreases the risk of detectability in doping test.
There are also alternative schedules:
- 20-30 IU/KBW for injection, 3 injections a week
- 4500 IU/week (3 injections by 1500 IU) and 3000 IU/week during supportive phase (3 injections x 1000 IU)
By taking 1 tablet of aspirin two times a day you can decrease the blood viscosity and reduce the risk of thrombosis. Take it with milk or after meal in order to avoid the damage of stomach. In case of high doses take anticoagulants (e.g. Lovenox)
Avoid dehydration, especially during long training and competitions, drink enough water.
Remember that high doses are more effective, however they increase the risk of side effects and detectability. Anyway, during EPO cycle you should control your blood counts and adjust the dose according to hematocrit level.
Since EPO comes in the form of lyophilized powder, you have to dilute it with sterile water. Use insulin syringe. Sub-Q injections are made between skin and muscle in the outer upper arm, front of thighs or abdomen (but not too close to umbilicus).
If you slightly warm the vial by rolling the vial between hands for a couple of minutes it will make injection painless.
EPO stacking
Be very careful while stacking erythropoietin with anabolic steroids, since the latter may also increase the number of erythrocytes (e.g. Anadrol). Some athletes combine EPO with Winstrol, however we do not possess reliable information about this combination.
In case of high doses EPO is stacked with anticoagulants, for example Lovenox. For normal doses aspirin is enough. It will be useful to supplement EPO usage with folic acid, vitamins and iron.
Here is an example of combination with EPO
Weekly dose: EPO 50 IU/KBW
iron (oral supplementation) – 25mg
folic acid – 25 mg
Vitamin B12 – 2500 mcg
duration of a cycle 10 – 20 days.