Prevalence, knowledge and attitudes towards using sports supplements among young athletes

Abstract

Background The aim of this international study was to investigate the prevalence of the use of sports supplements among young athletes, as well as their knowledge and attitudes towards sports supplementation. Methods Organized survey study testing the level of knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices concerning the use of sports supplements was administered to 348 athletes, 15–18 year olds from 4 countries competing in 18 sports at the international level. Results The prevalence rate of the intake of sports supplements was 82.2%, with the protein supplements being predominant (54.5%). Coaches were identified as the primary source of information regarding supplementation (41.4%). The enhancement of athletic performance (35.4%) was the major motivation for the supplements intake. The majority of athletes (72.1%) were aware of associated health risks. The young athletes possess varying levels of knowledge regarding their own supplementation. The obtained data about the level of knowledge were statistically analyzed using the correspondence analysis. Less than 40% of athletes had the knowledge about the proper and intended use of protein, creatine, amino acids, beta alanine and glutamine, while they had greater understanding about vitamins and minerals, sports drinks and caffeine. The athletes in developed countries had greater access and utilization of professional resources such as dieticians. Young athletes are still unfamiliar with WADA regulations (55.5%), and the misuse of sports supplements represents an ethical dilemma for some. Conclusion These findings indicate the necessity of a comprehensive education of all team members about sports supplements and careful supervision of the athletic development of young athletes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12970-019-0294-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Key Factors Influencing the Food Choices of Athletes at two Distinct Major International Competitions

“…Variation in responses may be reflective of the sample characteristics and the varying level of knowledge athletes have on doping. Previous research has shown that in a mixed cohort of over 384 athletes, only half were aware of the World Anti-Doping Agency regulations and 12% would risk taking prohibited substances to enhance performance [31]. The influence of doping risk differed across regions, with a higher proportion from non-Western countries reporting this as important, suggesting that they were more concerned about doping risk.…”

The Environmental Impact of the Athlete’s Plate Nutrition Education Tool

“…Ciuris et al 2019 [ 91 ] showed lower DIAAS and muscle mass and strength in endurance athletes on plant-based diets compared to athletes on meat-centric diets. Athletes are high users of protein supplements [ 92 , 93 , 94 ]. Protein powders have been shown to provide an efficient protein source with a good amino acid profile [ 51 ].…”

Creatine Supplementation in Children and Adolescents

“…Similarly, in 2008 Petroczi and Naughton [ 27 ] surveyed a cohort of 403 elite athletes from the United Kingdom and reported 28% of athletes self-reported creatine use. More recently in 2019, Jovanov et al [ 28 ] surveyed 348 male and female adolescent athletes across four different countries who were all competing at an international level for their respective countries and reported that 25.3% of all athletes indicated using creatine. In alignment with previous studies, a significantly higher proportion of male athletes reported using creatine compared to female athletes (72.0% vs. 28.0%).…”

“…These outcomes may also be attributed to the continued growth of the dietary supplement market, popularity of competitive youth sports at an elite level, and the increasing reputation of creatine’s ergogenic properties. It is also important to note that there has been a significant increase in the prevalence of creatine supplementation among female athletes, in particular, over the past 20 years [ 19 , 28 ]. While creatine appears to be a popular dietary supplement of choice among elite adolescent athletes, creatine is still less frequently used when compared to other dietary supplement categories such as multivitamins, protein powders, and energy products, in which usage rates of these product categories can range anywhere from 60–80% among adolescent athletes [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ].…”