Dietary Intake and Supplement Use in Competitive Women Bodybuilders

Area of Science:

• Sports Nutrition
• Bodybuilding Science
• Nutritional Physiology

Background:

• Women's participation in bodybuilding has risen, yet research on their specific dietary intake and supplement use remains limited.
• Concerns exist regarding the potential poor quality and micronutrient deficiencies in their diets, alongside widespread supplement consumption.
• This study addresses the gap by examining dietary intake, supplement use, and diet quality in women bodybuilders across different competition phases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the dietary intake, supplement usage patterns, and diet quality between in-season and off-season female bodybuilders.
• To identify potential nutritional risks and areas for improvement in the diets of competitive female bodybuilders.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for optimizing nutrition and supplementation strategies in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 227 women bodybuilders.
• Dietary intake assessed via the Automated Self-Administered 24-hour Dietary Assessment Tool (ASA24) and diet quality evaluated using the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015).
• Supplement use and other variables collected through a validated online questionnaire; statistical analyses included ANCOVA and Welch's t-tests.

Main Results:

• In-season bodybuilders consumed less energy, carbohydrates, and fat, but more protein than off-season counterparts.
• All participants consumed excessive protein; in-season competitors had excess fat intake, while off-season competitors had lower energy intake than recommended.
• Micronutrient intakes met or exceeded Dietary Reference Intakes, but HEI-2015 scores were below US Dietary Guidelines for Americans, with no significant seasonal difference.

Conclusions:

• Women bodybuilders exhibit suboptimal diet quality and excessive protein intake, irrespective of their competition status.
• Current nutritional practices may not align with optimal physique athlete recommendations or general healthy eating guidelines.
• Targeted health education is crucial for improving diet quality, ensuring safe and effective supplement use, and enhancing overall health in female bodybuilders.