The Prevalence of Sport Dietary Supplements Consumption among Male Athlete Students in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Background: A dietary supplement which also called "sports supplement" refers to substances that are used by athletes to eliminate their nutritional deficiencies. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of dietary supplements use among male athlete students residing in Shahid Dastgheib Dormitory of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: Ninety-seven athletes from different sport fields participated in the study. A questionnaire with 17 questions was used to investigate the field of sports, history of exercise, and the reasons for consuming supplements and the source of information about supplements and the providing centers. Results: At the time of the implementation of the study, 15.3% of the athletes were taking supplements and 29.6% had a history of consuming supplements. The most commonly used supplements were keratin, ginseng and protein supplements. Wellness and health promotion were the main reasons for the use of supplements and 31.9% of the participants considered club coaches as the best source of information on supplements. Most of these athletes introduced coaches and clubs as the center of providing the supplements and 23% of the athletes were aware of the side effects of the supplements, mainly via the internet. Conclusion: Our findings showed that the prevalence of consuming dietary supplements among male athletes was not high.