Original scientific paper
Dietary supplement use among young elite athletes: basketball, football and waterpolo
Zrinka Šmuljić
; Klinički bolnički centar Zagreb, Služba za prehranu i dijetetiku
Marjeta Mišigoj Duraković
; Kineziološki fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zavod za kineziološku antropologiju i metodologiju
Zvonimir Šatalić
; Prehrambeno-biotehnološki Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zavod za poznavanje i kontrolu sirovina i prehrambenih proizvoda
Abstract
Dietary supplement use among young athletes is still unknown in Croatia and this part of Europe, where important questions are how the concept of food supplement is defined and then, depending on the type of product, is it suitable for use among younger athletes. This study was designed to investigate various aspects of taking dietary supplements, namely prevalence and type of supplements in young athletes aged 14 - 18 years from a variety of complex sports (basketball, football and waterpolo). 110 young male elite athletes aged on average 15.59 ± 1.40 years participated in the study as well as a control group of 107 non-athletes aged on average 16.44 ± 1.35 years. All participants completed a previously developed questionnaire intended for this population (Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2012; 22: 165-174). Differences between athletes and control group of non-athletes were tested using Student t-test for quantitative variables and chi square test for qualitative variables. The results showed that young elite athletes more often use supplements then non athletes. The most popular supplements in young athletes are multivitamins, with prevalence of use of 90.9% among athletes. On daily basis, the single most used micronutrients among athletes are vitamin C and magnesium, and among the control group vitamin E and calcium. Creatine is used by 10.6% of young athletes from these team sports. The most common descriptions of the term „supplement“ was: “I think it’s something that gives energy after training“, “Option that promotes recovery and muscle growth“, “Help to regenerate and boost immunity“, “Power amplifiers“, “For better nutrition“, “Vitamins and minerals“ and other. Preferred source of information on supplement intake for elite athletes are doctors (66.5%) and nutritionists (62.3%). 8.9% of athletes confirmed doping use among their peers. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate the need to encourage the education of young athletes and their coaches about the objectivity and the necessity to take supplements, their impact on health and the importance of knowledge about the supplements.
Keywords
dietary supplements, young elite athletes, complex sports
Hrčak ID:
270488
URI
Publication date:
13.8.2019.
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