What is the primary purpose of artificial blood?

The primary purpose of artificial blood is to replace a large volume of lost blood. Artificial blood products are designed to perform functions similar to those of natural blood, primarily focusing on transporting oxygen and maintaining blood volume in situations such as severe trauma, surgery, or conditions where a person has lost significant amounts of blood. In these scenarios, the introduction of artificial blood can help to stabilize the patient and provide a temporary measure until a blood transfusion can be administered or until the patient's own blood volume is restored.

The other options do not accurately reflect the main goal of artificial blood. For instance, enhancing athletic performance, while a concern in sports, is not a legitimate or primary use of artificial blood. Similarly, artificial blood is not a treatment for diseases in a broad sense; its role is specific to addressing blood loss rather than curing illnesses. Additionally, while preventing blood clotting is a medical consideration, it does not encapsulate the overall purpose of artificial blood, which is specifically about replacement and volume restoration rather than manipulating clotting mechanisms.