Prevalence of dietary supplement use among male Brazilian recreational triathletes: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

The literature shows that the prevalence of dietary supplements is high and guidance by a nutritionist or specialized professional is low in professional triathletes. It is reasonable to assume that in recreational triathletes, the prevalence of dietary supplements will also be high and that a significant portion of the sampled population will use supplements without any guidance from a qualified professional. The present study investigated dietary supplement use among Brazilian male recreational triathletes.

METHODS

A total of 724 Brazilian male recreational triathletes (age: 38.00 [10.00] years and body mass index: 24.16 [3.02] kg/m2) took part in this study. All participants answered an online questionnaire containing questions about their demographic characteristics and the nutritional aspects of their diet.

RESULTS

The results showed that ~ 90% (n = 653) of the interviewed participants reported using at least one dietary supplement. Surprisingly, ~ 25% did not receive supplement advice from a professional nutritionist.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of dietary supplements in male recreational triathletes was high, and a substantial part of the sample did not receive professional recommendations. This situation is worrisome because dietary supplements should be prescribed by a professional nutritionist.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Our results suggest the need for an appropriate attitude and guidance by health professionals who deal with this population, especially nutritionists, to promote safe practices.

Factors associated with perceived performance drops and musculoskeletal injuries in Brazilian recreational triathletes

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to investigate sleep characteristics, use of supplements, and training volume of recreational triathletes, and to verify possible associations with perceived performance drops and occurrence of injuries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Recreational triathletes (n=942) answered a questionnaire inquiring about their demographic characteristics, performance, injuries and training volume.

RESULTS

When comparing athletes who slept more (9-10 hours) with those who slept less, less sleep was associated with a higher prevalence of perceived performance drops. Regarding difficulties in initiating sleep, the absence of initiating difficulties (p<0.001) was a protective factor against perceived performance drops. Regarding weekly training volume, compared to those who trained more than 20 hours, training less than 3 hours (p<0.001), 3-5 hours (p<0.001), or 12-14 hours (p<0.001) were protective factors against perceived performance drops. Concerning training volume and injuries, we found that compared to those who trained more than 20 hours, training 18-20 hours (p<0.001), 15-17 hours (p<0.001), 12-14 hours (p<0.001), 6-8 hours (p<0.001), or 3-5 hours (p<0.001) were protective factors against injuries.

CONCLUSIONS

Triathletes with a lower sleep quantity and those who have difficulties initiating sleep frequently experience drops in performance. Training volumes can influence both performance and the likelihood of injuries.