Muscle building supplement use in Australian adolescent boys: relationships with body image, weight lifting, and sports engagement

Abstract

Background: The extent and implications of muscle building protein supplement use among adolescents is relatively unknown. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of protein powder, creatine, and anabolic steroid use in a sample of 14-16 year-old boys in Australia, and the predictors of actual use, and intentions to use protein powder. Methods: Data were obtained from questionnaires with Australian adolescent boys aged 14-16 years from one independent boy's school in Melbourne (N = 237). Hierarchical linear and logistic regressions were used to determine the predictors of intentions, and actual use of protein powder. Results: 49.8% of boys reported current use of, and 62% intended to use protein powder; 8.4% used creatine, and 4.2% used anabolic steroids. Higher levels of drive for muscularity, participation in weight training, and playing a greater number of sports were significant predictors of higher current use and intentions to use protein powder, but age, BMI, body esteem, and ethnicity were not. Conclusions: Prevalence of muscle building supplement use was relatively high among this adolescent population. This research has implications for intervention and prevention programs to educate young boys about muscle building supplements to reduce negative physical and psychological health effects of their use.

Protein, Creatine, and Dieting Supplements Among Adolescents: Use and Associations With Eating Disorder Risk Factors, Exercise-, and Sports Participation, and Immigrant Status

“…Previous studies involving older adolescents in the general population found that up to 50% of boys (Hoffman et al, 2008;Eisenberg et al, 2012;Yager and McLean, 2020) and 20% of girls (Eisenberg et al, 2012) had ever used or used protein supplements during the past year. Meanwhile, the estimated overall proportion of general adolescents currently or previously using creatine supplements varies from 0.6 to 22.2% in boys and 0.6 to 3% in girls (Hoffman et al, 2008;Jagim et al, 2018;Miech et al, 2020;Yager and McLean, 2020). A recent study also found the 30-day prevalence of diet pill use in late adolescent boys and girls to be 1.5 and 1.7%, respectively (Miech et al, 2020).…”

“…Several factors predict the use of protein and creatine supplements; among these is gender (Eisenberg et al, 2012). Ethnicity is suggested as another factor possibly explaining supplement use as a means of changing appearance (Eisenberg et al, 2012;Yager and McLean, 2020). Males of non-white ethnicities may experience more drive for muscularity (Swami, 2016) and body dissatisfaction and engage in more extreme body change strategies (Ricciardelli et al, 2007), while girls of some non-white ethnicities may experience less body dissatisfaction than white ethnicities (Kimber et al, 2015).…”

“…In addition, boys of Asian ethnicity are found to use more "muscle enhancing" supplements than non-Asians (Eisenberg et al, 2012). However, existing findings are conflicting and inconclusive (Eisenberg et al, 2012;Kimber et al, 2015;Yager and McLean, 2020). Therefore, investigating immigrant status relative to supplement use, as opposed to ethnicity, may contribute further to the understanding of supplement use in adolescents.…”

Creatine Supplementation in Children and Adolescents

“…In 2012, results from a large subset ( n = 9417) of the National Health Interview Survey respondents indicated that 34.1% of the children or adolescents (mean age = ~11 years) reporting the use of dietary supplements to enhance sports performance, self-reported using creatine [ 23 ]. Most recently, in 2020 among a sample of Australian adolescent boys participating in a variety of sports, 8.4% of survey respondents reported current use of creatine and 25.7% reported the intent to use creatine or other dietary supplements in the near future [ 24 ]. Drive for muscularity, participating in weight training, and sport participation were strong predictors of supplement use [ 24 ].…”

“…Most recently, in 2020 among a sample of Australian adolescent boys participating in a variety of sports, 8.4% of survey respondents reported current use of creatine and 25.7% reported the intent to use creatine or other dietary supplements in the near future [ 24 ]. Drive for muscularity, participating in weight training, and sport participation were strong predictors of supplement use [ 24 ]. It is important to note that there is an underlying concern that creatine use among adolescents may be a predictor of future illegal performance enhancing substance use.…”