[Sports Nutrition Lounge] Doping risk among athletes

SPORTS NUTRITIONSPORTS NUTRITION LOUNGE

6/28/2024

🚨 Attention Athletes! 🏅 Are you aware of the hidden dangers lurking in your dietary supplements? 😱

🔍 The Prohibited List: Published annually by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on January 1st, this list identifies substances and methods prohibited in-competition, out-of-competition, and in specific sports. It also includes substances of abuse.

🌐 Global Drug Reference Online (Global DRO) & DruginSport (Hong Kong): These platforms provide info on the prohibition status of pharmaceutical products in various countries. However, they do not cover dietary supplements.

📊 Supplement Usage: 60%-80% of elite athletes use dietary supplements for:

Health: Correcting nutrient deficiencies, improving sleep, reducing sick days and injuries
Performance: Gaining a competitive edge
Financial: Sponsorships
Peer Influence: Following the best athletes

⚠️ Risks of Supplements:

28% of dietary supplements studied pose a risk of unintentional doping.
Mislabelling and contamination (or adulteration) are common, leading to anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs).

🛡️ Mitigating Doping Risks:

Choose products evaluated by third-party verification programs (e.g., Informed Sports).
Avoid products with multiple ingredients and claims of performance enhancement or wordings like "stimulant," "energy booster," "muscle booster," "extreme," or "weight loss."

📚 Stay Informed:

Regularly check WADA’s prohibited substances list.
Consult with trained professionals such as RDNs with CSSDs, Accredited Sports Dietitian, Registered Nutritionists specializing in sports (RNutr and SENR).

⚖️ Strict Liability: Athletes are solely responsible for any prohibited substances found in their system. Always Assess the Need, Assess the Risk, and Assess the Consequences (ANRAC) before taking any supplements.

Stay safe, stay informed, and keep pushing your limits! 💪

Feel free to share this post and spread awareness among your fellow athletes! Together, we can promote clean and safe sports. 🙌

Reference:

Jagim, A. R., Harty, P. S., Erickson, J. L., Tinsley, G. M., Garner, D., & Galpin, A. J. (2023). Prevalence of adulteration in dietary supplements and recommendations for safe supplement practices in sport. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5, 1239121. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.1239121
Kozhuharov, V. R., Ivanov, K., & Ivanova, S. (2022). Dietary Supplements as Source of Unintentional Doping. BioMed Research International, 2022, e8387271. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/8387271
Lauritzen, F. (2022). Dietary Supplements as a Major Cause of Anti-doping Rule Violations. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.868228
The Prohibited List. (n.d.). Anti-Doping Organization of Hong Kong, China. Retrieved June 19, 2024, from https://www.antidoping.hk/substances-2/the-prohibited-list/