On the beaches of the entire Atlantic coast, it is under these small piles of sediment rejected by the lugworm that we find a small marine worm with incredible properties. This marine worm is known as the Arenicola marina and it is present along the west coast of France from the Basque Country to the North Sea. The animal, which can be detected by the swirls of sand that it creates where it hides under the sand, has fascinating properties, as Franck Zal, a specialist in respiratory physiology and founder of the company Hemarina, discovered.
The Arenicola marina burrows at low tide until the tide comes back up. It is capable of holding its breath for six hours due to its hemoglobin, which is capable of transporting 40 times more oxygen than human red blood cells. This extraordinary capacity could be the ultimate goal for athletes in search of performance, especially with the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
This marine worm is present all over France, but its exceptional properties were never fully understood until Franck Zal discovered them. He realized the potential of this marine worm’s hemoglobin as a performance enhancer for athletes. This has raised concerns about doping in sports, as some athletes are already trying to increase their hematocrit levels legally by training at altitude, using EPO doping, or self-transfusing blood.
In response to the concerns about the potential for doping, Alexandre Marchand, a specialist in blood analysis at the AFLD, developed a detection system for the marine worm’s hemoglobin as a means of combating doping in sports. The system includes electrophoresis, detection of the product based on its molecular mass, and interpretation of coloration changes in the plasma when the product is used.
Franck Zal, who now produces the hemoglobin of the marine worm at an aquaculture farm in Noirmoutier, Vendée, has attempted to address concerns about potential doping by highlighting the medical benefits of the substance. His company, Hemarina, has revolutionized organ transplantation with the addition of the hemoglobin molecule to organ preservation pouches, resulting in longer preservation times.
In addition, the use of the marine worm’s hemoglobin has shown promising results in treating burn victims and is being explored for its potential in other medical applications, such as combating sickle cell anemia, bacteria, cancer, and other oxygen-related pathologies. Therefore, the focus is shifting from concerns about doping to the potential medical breakthroughs that could result from the properties of the marine worm’s hemoglobin.
In conclusion, the discovery of the remarkable properties of the marine worm’s hemoglobin has raised concerns about its potential misuse in sports, but it has also opened up new possibilities for medical advancements. Franck Zal and his company, Hemarina, are at the forefront of harnessing these properties for the benefit of medical science, showcasing the potential of a previously overlooked marine treasure.
