Prevalence of dietary supplement use among male Brazilian recreational triathletes: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background and rationale The literature shows that the prevalence of dietary supplements is high and guidance by a nutritionist or specialized professional is low in professional triathletes. It is reasonable to assume that in recreational triathletes, the prevalence of dietary supplements will also be high and that a significant portion of the sampled population will use supplements without any guidance from a qualified professional. The present study investigated dietary supplement use among Brazilian male recreational triathletes. Methods A total of 724 Brazilian male recreational triathletes (age: 38.00 [10.00] years and body mass index: 24.16 [3.02] kg/m2) took part in this study. All participants answered an online questionnaire containing questions about their demographic characteristics and the nutritional aspects of their diet. Results The results showed that ~ 90% (n = 653) of the interviewed participants reported using at least one dietary supplement. Surprisingly, ~ 25% did not receive supplement advice from a professional nutritionist. Conclusion The prevalence of dietary supplements in male recreational triathletes was high, and a substantial part of the sample did not receive professional recommendations. This situation is worrisome because dietary supplements should be prescribed by a professional nutritionist. Practical implications Our results suggest the need for an appropriate attitude and guidance by health professionals who deal with this population, especially nutritionists, to promote safe practices.

Development of a screener to assess athlete risk behavior of not using third-party tested nutritional supplements

“…Almost two-thirds of the athletes discussed supplement choices with their registered dietitian, which was the fourth predictive variable, being associated with a lower risk of not using TPT supplements. This can be related with better informed choices by athletes when counseled by a dietitian ( 16 ), while in reality athletes also report lower percentages for consulting a dietitian related to supplement use, ranging in other recent publications from 25% ( 33 ) to 50% ( 30 ).…”