Attitude of athletes towards dietary supplements

Abstract

At the beginning of 2023 we carried out a survey among active athletes asking about their attitude towards dietary supplements. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the attitude of athletes towards dietary supplements using a survey method. The objective of the study was to determine whether active athletes use dietary supplements. Materials and methods: The participants in the study were asked to anonymously complete a survey consisting of 16 questions. In January 2023, we surveyed 50 active athletes from the „Vasil Levski” National Sports Academy (35 men and 15 women). Forty-six of the participants were between 18 and 22 years old and 4 were between 23 and 27 years old. Results: The majority (94%) of the surveyed athletes trusted the advertisement of a particular dietary supplement. Ninety per cent had complete trust in the pharmacists’ advice. Pharmacists played a signifi cant role in the choice of dietary supplements. A high percentage (60%) of the respondents who used dietary supplements had not sought medical advice prior to their use. Ninety per cent of the respondents used dietary supplements for weight loss in order to fit in a particular category; 78% indicated that they used dietary supplements for improvement of their sports achievements; 72% used supplements to increase their stamina and 46% – to shorten their time for recovery. A campaign should be initiated to encourage the use of dietary supplements only when they are prescribed by physicians.