Prevalence of Dietary Supplement Use by trail-running

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Trail-running has grown in recent years and dietary supplements use may be a strategy to energy wasting resulting of modality. Therefore, aimed to evaluate and compare the prevalence of dietary supplements use by trail-running between different distances of Circuito Trilhas & Montanhas. Materials and Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study with trail runners of Circuito Trilhas & Montanhas. A questionnaire on of dietary supplements use, personal and trail-running characteristics were applied. In addition, the chosen route (short/medium/long) of each participant also was recorded. Discussion and Results: The prevalence of dietary supplement use by runners was 37.1% and was not associated with the chosen route (p=0.234). Of runners evaluated, 61.3% reported receiving guidance from a nutritionist, without differ significantly with the chosen route (p=0.658). No significant differences were found between the motivations for supplement use and the supplement categories with the chosen route (p>0.05). The characteristics of trail-running practice, frequency of training and use of safety equipment, were significantly associated with of dietary supplement use (p<0.05). Conclusion: The trail runners evaluated presented low prevalence of dietary supplements use, in their great majority was prescription by the nutritionist. However, the chosen route was not associated with motivations for supplement use neither to the category of supplements. In addition, dietary supplements use was associated with some variables regarding the characteristics of trail-running practice.