Dietary Supplementation Practices among Varsity Athletes at a Canadian University

Abstract

Background

Given the risks of inadvertent doping associated with dietary supplement (DS) use, it is critical to explore the extent of dependence of varsity athletes on DS to improve performance and support recovery. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into dietary supplementation practices among varsity athletes in a university setting in Ontario, Canada.

Methods

An online DS use questionnaire was completed by 302 varsity athletes (30.5% male, 69.5% female; 20.5 ± 1.8-year old) who were competing in intermittent, power and endurance-based sports at the University of Guelph. The data from supplement users were analyzed using a Chi-square analysis to investigate type of DS consumption, frequency of use and reasons for use.

Results

Overall, 58.3% of athletes reported having used at least one type of DS in the past six months. Gender and age had significant associations with prevalence of DS use, with male athletes and athletes over 20-year old being more likely to be DS users. The most frequently reported reasons for consuming DS were to maintain good health, increase energy, promote recovery, correct or prevent micronutrient deficiencies and supply convenient forms of energy and/or macronutrients. Although, most athletes were using reliable sources of information, health care professionals, 58.6% still mentioned wanting to become more knowledgeable about DS.

Conclusions

Findings from this study may guide the development of educational materials needed to address knowledge gaps on DS among varsity athletes.

KEYWORDS:

• Nutritional supplements
• prevalence
• sport nutrition
• varsity athletes

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank varsity athletes from the University of Guelph for participating in the study.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This research project received clearance from the Research Ethics Board of the University of Guelph.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to parts of the dataset not relating to this manuscript and being analyzed for publication in future studies.

Author’s contributions

The study was designed by DEK, JD, MM & KR; the online questionnaire was developed by DEK, JD, MM & KR; data were collected and analyzed by KR; data interpretation and manuscript preparation were undertaken by KR. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences at the University of Guelph under Seed Grant number [072065].

Notes on contributors

Karol-Ann Roy

Karol-Ann Roy, MSc, is a Master of Applied Nutrition student at the University of Guelph. She is in the clinical stream of the program and has completed clinical placements at Grand River Hospital and a public health placement at the University of Guelph Health Services. Karol-Ann has a Bachelor of Applied Science degree with a major in Applied Human Nutrition from the University of Guelph. She also completed a Master of Science in the Family Relations and Applied Nutrition department at the University of Guelph. Throughout her master’s degree, Karol-Ann worked under the supervision of Dr. Dalia El Khoury and researched dietary supplementation practices of varsity athletes.

Dalia El Khoury

Dalia El Khoury, PhD, RD, is an Assistant Professor of Applied Human Nutrition in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition at the University of Guelph. She has received a BSc in Nutrition and Dietetics (2002) and an MSc in Nutrition (2005) at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. She completed a PhD in Physiology and Physiopathology at the University of Pierre et Marie Curie, France (2008). Dalia has recently obtained the status of Registered Dietitian in Canada. She served as a lecturer at the American University of Beirut (2009–2010), and as a postdoctoral fellow and lecturer at the University of Toronto (2010–2014). Dalia has also worked in the private sector, joining Mead Johnson Nutrition as Senior Scientist in Global Regulatory and Nutrition Science for approximately two years (2014–2016). Her two lines of research are: (1) investigating the prevalence and psychosocial determinants of dietary supplement use among university athlete and non-athlete students, gym exercisers and other populations at risk and designing nutrition education programs to improve knowledge, attitude and awareness on dietary supplements in these populations; and (2) exploring new biomarkers for the metabolic syndrome, and their modulation by functional foods and/or physical activity, both in pediatric and adult populations.

John J. M. Dwyer

John Dwyer, PhD, MA, BEd, BA, received a PhD in applied social psychology with a specialization in program evaluation and a MA with a specialization in sport psychology. John is an Associate Professor in Applied Human Nutrition in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. His main research interests are (a) psychology of physical activity, sedentariness and healthy eating and (b) program evaluation in health promotion, particularly related to healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Margo Mountjoy

Margo Mountjoy, MD, PhD, CCFP (SEM), FCFP, FACSM, Dip Sport Med, received her medical education and her Family Medicine training at McMaster University. She has a sports medicine specialty certification (CCFP(SEM)) and a PhD in sport medicine as well as the Fellowship of the College of Family Physicians. Margo is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and the Regional Assistant Dean of the Waterloo Regional Campus. She is the Clinical and Academic Lead of the Health & Performance Center at the University of Guelph where she is a sports medicine consultant focusing her practice on elite athlete health care and promoting physical activity. Internationally, Margo works in the field of sport medicine with the Aquatics Federation (FINA), the IOC Medical Commission and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). She consults for the World Health Organization on Physical Activity and Drowning Prevention initiatives.