Blood doping and gene doping: a review on recent trends in doping

The word “Doping” implies to the use of prohibited substances and practices for improving sporting performance of athletes. It includes the misuse of certain techniques and substances for enhancing the performance and endurance level of the athlete. The desire to win, acclamation and associated benefits; drives the athletes towards doping. Athletes in the present age are abusing new substances and methods of doping that are difficult to detect. Blood Doping and Gene doping are the new found trends that pose analytical challenges. Blood doping or induced erythrocythemia helps increasing ones RBC mass to transport more oxygen to muscles for better performance. Gene Doping method uses genes that have the capacity to enhance athletic performance. Analyses of these methods pose limitations due to which these doping methods are trending. This work aims at understanding some recent trends in doping related to prohibited method ‘M1’ i.e. Manipulation of blood and blood components; and method ‘M3’ i.e. Gene doping, as stated in ‘The 2017 Prohibited List International Standard’ by the World Anti-Doping Code; thereby suggesting the best analytical techniques used for the same.