Evaluation of Dietary Supplement Use in Wheelchair Rugby Athletes

Abstract

Wheelchair rugby is a rapidly growing Paralympic sport; however, research remains predominantly in the realms of physiology and biomechanics. Currently, there is little investigation into nutrition and dietary supplement use among wheelchair rugby athletes (WRA). The aim of this study was to assess the types of dietary supplements (DS) used, the prevalence of usage, and the reasons for use among WRA. The secondary aim was to report utilized and preferred sources of nutritional information among this population. A valid, reliable Dietary Supplement Questionnaire was used to report supplement use and reasons for use. Male (n = 33) and female (n = 9) WRA were recruited at a national tournament and through emailing coaches of various Canadian teams. Dietary supplement usage was prevalent as 90.9% of males and 77.8% of females reported usage within the past three months with the most regularly used supplements being vitamin D (26.2%), electrolytes (19.5%), and protein powder (19.5%). The most common reason for usage was performance. The top sources of nutrition information were dietitian/nutritionist and the internet. Further investigation into DS use is needed to help create nutritional guidelines that are accessible to WRA and athletes with disabilities in general.

Impact of Vitamin D on Physical Efficiency and Exercise Performance—A Review

“…Due to vitamin D insufficiency in the population, many studies undertake the topic of correlation between vitamin D insufficiency and impaired sport performance, defined as skeletal muscle function. Vitamin D is one of the most regularly used dietary supplements amongst athletes worldwide and is the number one supplement taken by athletes with a physical impairment [32,33]. Close et al found a significantly positive correlation between vitamin D3 supplementation (5000 IU per day for 8-weeks) and the improvement of musculoskeletal performance, especially in vertical jump height and 10-m sprint times.…”

Dietary Supplementation for Para-Athletes: A Systematic Review

“…The paucity of literature surrounding protein and amino acid supplementation in a para-athlete population clearly highlights the need for more research in this area, especially considering the large proportion of this population who currently use protein and amino acid supplements [4,7]. Future research should investigate the efficiency of different protein and amino acid supplements for both physical and cognitive performance (decreasing cognitive fatigue), as well as highlight optimal dosing strategies.…”

“…Due to the heterogeneity within para-athletes, nutritional and supplement advice is likely to vary significantly on an individual basis and should take into account both health and performance [7]. When considering a para-athlete group, one must consider the following potential implications: altered metabolic rate and energy expenditure, reduced muscle mass, drug-nutrient interactions with medications, difficulty swallowing, altered thermoregulation, and others [8].…”

Diet in neurogenic bowel management: A viewpoint on spinal cord injury

“…Commonly consumed supplements by Paralympic athletes are vitamin D, protein powder, sport bars, and sport drinks [151,152] . In a recent study, elite athletes with SCI improved handgrip strength after a supplementation protocol based on initial 25(OH)D concentrations, whereas no change in 20-m wheelchair sprint performance was observed [153] .…”