Age Drives the Differences in Dietary Supplement Use in Endurance Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Cyclists, Runners, and Triathletes

Abstract

Most athletes use dietary supplements (DS) to improve health and performance beyond what can be achieved through diet. Improvements in health and exercise performance through the use of DS are especially attractive to older athletes (OA) challenged with age-related declines. However, there are few DS shown to improve endurance performance, and the prevalence of DS in OA are unknown. Two-hundred cyclists, runners, and triathletes (females = 108; age = 39.4 ± 13.5) completed a questionnaire regarding the prevalence and type of DS currently used, in addition to variables associated with using DS such as motivation and sources of information. Overall, 78.0% of athletes reported current DS use. OA used more DS (Total DS = 4.3 ± 3.0) than younger athletes (2.7 ± 1.8, p < 0.001), with ages 40–49 and 50–59 using more DS than ages 18–29 and 30–39 (p < 0.05). The majority of athletes (53.8%) used ≥ 3 DS. Age was the only significant predictor of total DS use (p = 0.002); OA used ≥ 3 DS more than younger (p < 0.001). Specifically, more athletes 40–49 (67.5%) and 50–59 (76.2%) used ≥ 3 DS compared to 18–29 (33.3%, p = 0.003). More OA used electrolytes (p = 0.005), probiotics (p = 0.045), melatonin (p = 0.004), and vitamin D (p = 0.016) than younger athletes. Motivations to use DS were related to age and were supplement specific. Sources of DS information varied by sex more than age. Age is a significant determining factor for DS use in a sample of cyclists, runners, and triathletes. The prevalence and trends of DS warrant further investigation into the benefits and risks of DS to develop safe, targeted, and age-specific DS strategies on a recreative competitive level.

Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2022.2056670 .

Keywords:

• Cycling
• endurance
• ergogenic aid
• masters athletes
• minerals
• runners
• sports nutrition
• supplements
• triathletes
• vitamins

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Kaitlyn Harrison, Ashlynn Williams, Elizabeth Warfield, Jessica Renteria, Birinder Nijjar, Tatum Johnston, Christopher Rivas, and Ally Lunich for their assistance with data collection. Permission has been received from those named.

Author contribution

All authors have read and approved of the final version of the manuscript. Authorship contributions are as follows: AJG: originating the manuscript content, writing the manuscript, and primary responsibility for the final manuscript; AK, KM, JLW, RBT, and MS assisted with conceptualization of the research, manuscript preparation, and data collection, and provided significant intellectual contributions to the manuscript. All authors reviewed and commented on subsequent drafts of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Funding

This work was supported in part by both the Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences and the College of Science & Engineering Graduate Research Grant Program from the Science & Engineering Research Center (Grant #GR 200410) at Texas Christian University.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Austin J. Graybeal

Austin J. Graybeal, PhD in Kinesiology (Nutrition Emphasis), Assistant Professor of Kinesiology in the School of Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Southern Mississippi. Research interests include body composition and body composition assessment methodologies, sports nutrition, exercise performance, appetite regulation, and non-pharmacological treatments for obesity and weight loss. Certifications include: Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

Andreas Kreutzer

Andreas Kreuzter, MS in Kinesiology (Exercise Physiology Emphasis), PhD Candidate in the Department of Kinesiology at Texas Christian University. Research interests include endurance performance, athlete health, and the effects of training/nutrition on mircoRNA expression. Certifications include: Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

Jada L. Willis

Jada L. Willis, PhD in Nutrition, Associate Professor of Nutritional Sciences in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Christian University. Research interests include human obesity, body composition, subjective and physiological hunger and satiety, metabolism, and exercise performance. Certifications include: Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Licensed Dietitian.

Kamiah Moss

Kamiah Moss, MS in Kinesiology, PhD Candidate in the Department of Kinesiology at Texas Christian University. Research interests include the effect of dietary intakes on endurance performance and sleep quality.

Robyn Braun-Trocchio

Robyn Braun-Trocchio, PhD in Educational Psychology (Sport and Exercise Psychology Emphasis), Assistant Professor of Kinesiology in the Department of Kinesiology at Texas Christian University. Research interests include sport, exercerise, and performance psychology, effects of various stimuli on attention allocation and perception of effort during physical activity, and perceived effort in children. Certifications include: Certified Mental Performance Consultant.

Meena Shah

Meena Shah, PhD in Nutrition, Chair and Professor of Kinesiology in the Department of Kinesiology at Texas Christian University. Research interests include the effects of diet and exercise interventions on body weight, blood lipids and lipoproteins, glycemic control, blood pressure, endothelial function, and appetite hormones. Further research interests include type II diabetes in South Asians, menu labeling and energy intake, and eating behavior and energy intake and appetite hormones.