Daily Health Advices

Posts Tagged ‘gene doping’

Gene doping, in addition to cheating, it can be dangerous, as this has been proven over time in those athletes who used banned substances. The genetic alteration is considered highly risky and experimental, and nobody knows what consequences might be.

WADA is well aware of the potential of genetically modified athletes, said Dr. Theodore Friedmann, director of gene therapy program at the University of California at San Diego and chairman of gene doping panel of that agency in Montreal.

As gene therapy is being used to cure some diseases, some coaches and invite or require their athletes to receive such treatment.

In hundreds of laboratories worldwide research, especially in animals, how genes or their expression could be altered to treat disease. Among the techniques is the introduction of new genes into cells using a virus as a vector or even the use of drugs to change the way genes work.

But wonder how athletes can benefit from these techniques, since gene therapy can improve performance by increasing red blood cell production, increase muscle mass, manipulating the production or use of metabolic energy, or alter the metabolism of fat or the perception of pain.

So this new technique used as doping, in addition to steroids, EPO and growth hormone.

Researchers warn that anti-doping issues of genetic engineering may soon become a way difficult to detect for athletes who cheat to improve their performance.

Each is developing a major sports event like the Olympic Games doubts arise clean athletes in their struggle for medals. The race between doping and the struggle to discover and is aged and has evolved from the chemical to natural.

In the middle of winter Olympics just scientists warn of a new kind of performance-enhancing agents with procedures difficult to detect. Some researchers want to know if genes can be modified to improve strength or muscle mass, to accelerate healing of injuries or to alter the perception of pain.

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