ABSTRACT BIRKELAND, KI, J. STRAY-GUNDERSEN, P. HEMMERSBACH, J. HALLÉN, E.
HAUG, and R. BAHR. Effect of rhEPO administration on serum levels of sTfR and cycling
performance. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 32, No. 7, pp. 1238–1243, 2000. Purpose: We
assessed the possibility of using soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) as an indicator of doping
with recombinant erythropoietin (rhEPO). Methods: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study
was conducted with the administration of 5000 U of rhEPO (N 10) or placebo (N 10) three …

Purpose: We assessed the possibility of using soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) as an
indicator of doping with recombinant erythropoietin (rhEPO). Methods: A double-blind,
placebo-controlled study was conducted with the administration of 5000 U of rhEPO (N= 10)
or placebo (N= 10) three times weekly (181-232 U· kg-1· wk-1) for 4 wk to male athletes. We
measured hematocrit and the concentration of hemoglobin, sTfR, ferritin, EPO, and
quantified the effects on performance by measuring time to exhaustion and maximal oxygen …