My understanding is the following:
Apparently there are sex-differences in response to androgenic hormones. For events requiring short bouts of huge power outputs (sprints, jumps, throws), females generally show greater response effects than males to the administration of supplemental testosterone and similarly-acting substances. The primary reason for this may be that females have far lower baseline levels of testosterone to begin with and so are farther than males from a potential ?ceiling?. Several lines of evidence support this idea, including that, for females, world-wide performance in the events requiring massive power outputs have generally declined since the 1980s. This timing coincides with the termination of state-sponsored doping programs in the former Eastern Bloc countries and the generally increased implementation of randomize out-of-competition testing.
My question for the physiologists is this:
Is there any theoretical reason or empirical evidence to suggest the same type of sex-difference in response to synthetic EPO or other blood boosters? I?ve read that testosterone promotes the production of red blood cells and also the concentration of haemoglobin within these red blood cells. Because of these effects, any liter of male blood will generally carry about 10% more oxygen than a similar quantity of female blood. Thus, I ask: will substances (EPO) or environments (altitude training?) that promote red blood cell production have greater effects on aerobic ability in females than males? Do females generally have lower hematocrit levels than males? Is there any published data that addresses these questions?
Thanks for any help