Current threats on gene doping - a systematic review

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: The publication of the first results regarding the effects of gene therapy on muscle mass and muscle force in rodents has sparked sustained interest from the part of trainers, athletes and other categories of specialists concerning this ethically-questionable revolutionary method, which would increase sporting performance. The purpose of this study is to find out if gene doping poses a real threat in today’s performance sport through synthesizing the main information regarding the ways of using and the screening of the ways in which it has been used by athletes, as well as the measures undertaken in later years in connection to their regulation. The methods employed were the perusal and analysis of information published in research papers (accessed through Clarivate Analytics and Google Scholar) or in other official sources by using the following key words: genetic doping coupled with screening, effects, WADA etc. The results have highlighted the fact that, from the multitude of information obtained, a significant part is based on assumptions and discussions without any palpable evidence; regardless, one may also encounter some papers supported by objective data which made possible the extraction of real and coherent information. Conclusions: Gene doping remains the latest challenge in the doping matter and it raised the interest of athletes and trainers in order to try to control and manipulate performance parameters and processes such as muscular mass, strength, power, speed, endurance, tissue regeneration and repair, pain perception; the steps that have been made recently for the screening and regulation of gene doping are consistent and ensure a relatively safe environment for clean sport.