Erythropoietin enhances whole body lipid oxidation during prolonged exercise in humans

Animal studies have suggested that erythropoietin, besides its well-known hematopoietic effects, can modulate metabolism and prevent fat accumulation. We investigated the effects of repeated injections of recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) on the balance of substrate oxidation during aerobic exercise in humans. Twelve healthy aerobically trained males received subcutaneously either moderate dose of EPO (50 U/kg, EPO) or saline injections (NaCl 0.9 %, control) three times a week for 4 weeks. Body weight, % fat, maximal aerobic capacity, and substrate utilization during exercise were assessed before and after treatment, while hemoglobin and hematocrit were monitored regularly during the treatment. Carbohydrate and fat oxidation were evaluated via indirect calorimetry, during a submaximal exercise performed at 75 % of the participants’ maximal aerobic capacity ( $$ \overset{\cdotp }{V}{O}_{2 \max } $$ ) for 60 min. Results showed that 4 weeks of EPO treatment significantly enhanced fat oxidation (+56 % in EPO versus −9 % in control) during exercise, independent of its effects on hematological parameters or $$ \overset{\cdotp }{V}{O}_{2 \max } $$ . This study shows that EPO can modulate substrate utilization during exercise, leading to enhanced fat utilization and lower use of carbohydrates. This opens new research directions exploring whether systemic EPO levels, in physiological conditions, participate to the modulation of fat oxidation.