Studies show supplement use up among young athletes

Dietary supplements and performance-enhancing drugs, however, are unreliable and may, in some instances, be unsafe and ineffective, said sports medicine physician William O. Roberts, MD, at a pre-conference on dietary supplements in April in Orlando, Fla.

Roberts was a keynote speaker at a conference before the 10th annual Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition in Orlando, presented by the American College of Sports Medicine.

“Coaches, trainers and others who recommend them risk passing the wrong message to athletes who do not have the genetic gift of speed, endurance, motor skill, or motor planning that doing your best is not enough,” Roberts said in a news release.

The conference included a scientific review of popular supplements and an update on ethical, legal and regulatory considerations regarding their use.

While dietary supplements do have legitimate uses – for example, for people with vitamin deficiencies or with diseases that prevent them from getting enough calories – Roberts cited numerous issues involved in recommending or supplying them for youngsters.

Safety questioned

Safety is a big concern with dietary supplements.

“Are the supplements themselves pure? What else is in them?” Roberts said. One study found that 14.8 percent of strength and body-building supplements in Germany (and even more in some other countries) contain anabolic steroids not declared on the label. Governmental oversight is lax, as supplements are not subject to regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“Claims of benefits should be documented and reproducible,” Roberts said. “Supplements should be treated as drugs, not food.” If supplements were treated like drugs, they would be subjected to rigorous testing for safety and efficacy. While those tests don’t guarantee safety, Roberts noted that the FDA maintains a system to track adverse reactions to drugs.

Effectiveness and ethics

The effectiveness of many supplements also is questionable and insufficiently documented. Roberts noted that if supplements were regulated as drugs, they could not be marketed unless their safety and effectiveness were proven.

Ethical considerations also rank high among Roberts’ reservations about the use of performance-enhancing supplements by young athletes.

“Is it ethical to pursue performance enhancement, beyond hard work, skilled coaching, genetic gift, proper training, proper rest and recovery, and adequate nutrition?” he said.

Legal liabilities also are a concern when it comes to recommending dietary supplements to young athletes. Roberts said that to prevent legal issues, informed-consent discussions should involve both parents and high-school competitors.

Coaches and other professionals should consider what happens when informed consent is omitted and something goes wrong.

“Is the school, sport association or health club liable,” he asked, “or does the liability fall on the shoulders of the personal trainer or the coaching staff?”

The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 20,000 international, national and regional members work to promote and integrate scientific research, education and practical applications of sports medicine and exercise science to maintain and enhance physical performance, fitness, health and quality of life.[[In-content Ad]]