A latest revelation means that blood extracted from lugworms, often known as sandworms and generally used as fishing bait, is likely to be a novel technique for enhancing athletic efficiency. French newspaper L’Équipe reported that the hemoglobin extracted from these worms is acknowledged for its excellent oxygen-carrying skills and could possibly be used as a hard-to-detect blood doping agent.

A powdered common blood substitute, derived from lugworms, is getting used as a blood doping agent.

It’s successfully undetectable and doesn’t improve hematocrit (% of crimson🩸cells).

A Tour de France bike owner requested its creator get hold of it in 2020.https://t.co/9SVCOdj6IA pic.twitter.com/bsBOidjVdy

— Edmund Willison (@honestsport_ew) November 20, 2023

Dr. Franck Zal, founding father of the corporate Hemarina, has used worm blood to create a “common blood substitute” able to carrying 40 instances extra oxygen than typical human hemoglobin, because of its smaller dimension. It can be saved at room temperature, eliminating the necessity for freezing, and making it straightforward to move. Moreover, hemoglobin is suitable with all blood sorts, doesn’t elevate hematocrit ranges, and doesn’t induce hypertension, not like bovine or human hemoglobin.

“I understood very early on that it could possibly be diverted,” mentioned Zal to L’Équipe. “We had a number of direct requests from athletes who wished to know get hold of the substance. I additionally realized it’s potential to administrate to racehorses.”

Not like EPO, which takes upwards of two weeks to extend hemoglobin, Lugworm hemoglobin has an instantaneous impression on the physique when injected, but it surely additionally has a brief lifespan. Zal additionally reviews that it’s unlikely to be noticed in an Athlete’s Organic Passport (ABP).

Adeline Molina from the French Anti-Doping Company (AFLD) advised L’Équipe that the quick lifespan of lugworms is what makes the product interesting to be used. Nevertheless, she says it will possibly nonetheless be detected in a blood take a look at.

Though the product is accessible, the World Anti-Doping Company (WADA) can be cognizant of rumours about this new type of doping and has not discovered any optimistic instances but.

“There was a speedy understanding of this substance and its dangers for doping functions,” mentioned WADA scientific director Olivier Rabin. He reported that there have been zero optimistic lugworm hemoglobin instances but, and says if the substance had been present in an athlete, the group would have made it public.