Athletes and Supplements: Prevalence and Perspectives.

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Nutritional Science
• Regulatory Science

Background:

• Elite sports demand competitive advantages, making dietary supplements attractive to athletes.
• Supplement use is widespread, ranging from 40% to 100% among athletes.
• The efficacy and safety of supplements are often unproven due to regulatory loopholes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the risks and benefits of dietary supplement use in elite athletes.
• To highlight the lack of regulatory oversight for supplement safety and efficacy.
• To address the potential for inadvertent doping violations from supplement use.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on supplement use, performance effects, and regulatory status.
• Analysis of the regulatory framework for dietary supplements in sports.
• Discussion of medical, physiological, cultural, and ethical considerations.

Main Results:

• Supplementation may not improve performance unless a nutrient deficiency exists.
• Supplements can have detrimental effects on health and performance.
• Athletes face risks of ingesting banned substances, leading to failed doping tests.

Conclusions:

• Dietary supplements pose significant health and anti-doping risks to elite athletes.
• Current regulations inadequately address supplement safety, efficacy, and banned substances.
• Athletes need comprehensive information to make informed decisions about supplement use.