Red+Blood+Cells+-+JL

=Introduction=

toc People wonder why blood helps us live. Red blood cells take oxygen and nutrients to the body cells. Luckily, for you, I have a few research questions that you need answers for. So, here’s what you need to know about Blood.

=Delivery Truck of Your Body=

Blood functions as your liquid body messenger because it takes oxygen and nutrients through the bloodstream. Blood picks up oxygen by grabbing it from the lungs while moving throughout the bloodstream and giving it to the body cells. The body cells uses it as energy. Then blood circulates back to the heart.

=Parts of Blood=

There’s four parts of blood: The Erythrocytes, Leukocytes, Platelets, and Plasma. **Erythrocytes** are Red Blood Cells which is the most common blood cell in the system. Red Blood Cells are the most reliable cells because they’re your liquid body messengers that takes nutrients and oxygen into the heart. **Leukocytes** are White Blood Cells which is the least common organisms because there isn’t a lot of them. All Leukocytes do is eat germs. **Platelets** are the Blood’s bodyguards. For example, when you get a cut, platelets clots the Blood from spreading; giving you a amount of time to cover it. And the Plasma is the first most common structure because it’s the one thing keeping the body stable and together. And **Plasma** is a yellow-ish water. But, to the Erythrocytes, Leukocytes, and the Platelets, it’s a force field protecting them from dying.

= Blood Doping =

**Blood doping** is the practice of increasing the number of red blood cells in the body to improve athletic performance. Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the muscles and other tissues of the body. Athletes require large amounts of oxygen during the physical exertion of endurance sports, such as bicycling or long distance running. Blood doping increases the body's oxygen-carrying capacity, allowing athletes to train and compete with improved endurance and less fatigue. Blood doping is illegal in sports because it gives some individuals an unfair advantage. In addition, increasing the number of red blood cells thickens the blood, which can cause heart attacks or strokes, and possibly death. Since the late 1980's, the deaths of at least 18 cyclists have been linked to blood doping. In the past, blood doping was done by transfusing extra red blood cells into the body. An athlete would remove 1 to 3 pints (0.5 to 1.5 liters) of his or her own blood several weeks or months before a major competition. It would take about one month for the body to replace the lost blood. In a laboratory, technicians separated the red blood cells and froze them for storage. The blood cells were then thawed and reinfused a few days before the competition. Today, a more common method of blood doping involves injecting synthetic forms of a substance called **E****rythropoietin**  <  RIHTH   roh POY uh tihn //>>, also known as EPO. EPO is a naturally occurring hormone that stimulates the body into producing extra red blood cells. Doctors originally developed synthetic forms of EPO to treat severe anemia, but some athletes use it to increase their red blood cell count without a transfusion. The performance-enhancing effects of EPO can last for several weeks. Blood doping is difficult to detect because the substances used are normally found within the human body. One detection method is to monitor an athlete's **H****ematocrit**  <>, the ratio of red blood cells to total blood volume in a sample. Females have an average hematocrit of about 38 percent, while males average about 42 percent. A **Hematocrit** over 55 percent may indicate blood doping. Athletes who live and train at high altitudes, however, also have elevated hematocrit values. The lower oxygen content of the air at high altitudes stimulates the body to manufacture more red blood cells.

In August 2000, the International Olympic Committee announced that a reliable method of testing for blood doping with EPO had been developed, and they began using it in the 2000 Summer Olympics. The test involves analyzing both a blood sample and a urine sample from athletes. Both samples must test positive in order for an athlete to be disqualified from competition. The term // doping // is also used to describe the use, for the sole purpose of improving athletic performance, of any substance banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). These substances, often called **E****rgogenic**  <  UR   guh JEHN ihk //>> aids, include stimulants, such as amphetamines and caffeine; // narcotics // (painkillers); // anabolic // (muscle-building) agents, such as steroids; // diuretics // (substances that rid the body of water); and a variety of hormones, such as human growth hormone. The IOC may permit other substances, such as alcohol and certain anesthetics, for medical reasons.

=Conclusion=

This is all the knowledge that I have.

=Reference=

Brainpop Discovery Education P.H.S.E.