Nutrition in Sports: A Focused Lens on Dietary Supplements

About this Research Topic

Background

High prevalence rates of dietary supplement use are consistently being reported across sports disciplines in the athletic population, as well as in different sectors of the general population. Exploring dietary supplement use is important since 1) there is increasing evidence that dietary supplements can be contaminated, to varied extent, with prohibited substances; 2) dietary supplements are not as strictly regulated as drugs, increasing the risk of products' adulteration and associated adverse health effects; 3) individuals using dietary supplements, particularly those involved in exercising activities or competitive sports, are more likely than others to try different forms of performance- and health-enhancing supplements including prohibited substances; and 4) studies have reported that the use of dietary supplements generally occurs with minimal medical/professional supervision. Additionally, there is a growing concern that dietary supplements may impact the adequacy of nutrient intakes and the eating patterns of users.

This Research Topic aims to communicate up-to-date, evidence-based knowledge on nutrition in sports, with a focus on dietary supplements, their benefits, risks (including risk of contamination), determinants (including reasons for use), as well as users’ knowledge and sources of information that users generally seek on dietary supplements, among athletes and/or non-athlete individuals. This collection also aims to explore the interaction between different nutritional practices in sports, including supplement use, nutrient intakes and dietary habits, and health outcomes. Finally, we will describe nutrition education programs that are being investigated to educate different sectors of the population at risk on the importance of adequate nutrition in sports and/or on dietary supplements.

The scope of this Research Topic includes (but is not limited to) the following themes:

• Determinants of dietary supplement use among athletes and/or non-athlete individuals

• Benefits and risks of dietary supplement use among athletes and/or non-athlete individuals

• Knowledge and practices of dietary supplement users among athletes and/or non-athlete individuals

• Associations between dietary supplement use, nutrient intakes, and dietary patterns/habits among athletes and/or non-athlete individuals

• Education programs addressing adequate nutrition and/or dietary supplements in sports for athletes and/or non-athlete individuals


All forms of manuscripts, including experimental papers, narrative reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and short communications, are welcomed.

Keywords: dietary supplements, nutrient intakes/dietary habits, contamination, risks, benefits education, populations at risk

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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