International Blood Doping Tests May Miss Cheaters

byBy Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, June 26 (HealthDay News) -- Tests designed to detect the illegal presence of a performance-enhancing drug that boosts blood oxygen levels in elite athletes are likely to miss those who decide to cheat, a new study claims.

By Alan Mozes
EmpowHer's HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- When athletes think they are taking a performance-enhancing drug, their performance tends to get better -- even if they never really take the drug.

So concludes a study of recreational athletes, half of whom received human growth hormone supplements while the other half took a placebo.

By Amanda Gardner HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, March 17 (HealthDay News) -- In addition to ruining promising sports careers, human growth hormone may not even enhance athletic performance as it is purported to do. An analysis of existing literature on human growth hormone found that while lean body mass increased, exercise capacity did not. The findings add an ironic twist to the current controversy surrounding baseball greats Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and others.