Dietary supplement use among undergraduate males practicing bodybuilding

Abstract

The consumption of dietary supplements has been increasing considerably in the country. The majority of consumers are male whose main source of indication is physical education professionals. Ingesting proteins in high amounts and for long periods can cause damage to the body, so it is important to identify risk groups in order to have an intervention if necessary. The aim of this study was to investigate the consumption of dietary supplements in male university students who practice bodybuilding. Fifty men, aged between 18 and 30 years, participated in the study and answered three questionnaires (sociodemographic, supplement consumption questionnaire and food frequency questionnaire). Of the 50 participants, 62% (n=31) did not consume supplements. The most consumed supplement was Whey Protein with 73.7% (n=14). The main source of indication for the consumption of supplements was the nutritionist with 44.4% (n=8), followed by self-indication with 27.8% (n=5). The main reason for the consumption of supplements was muscle gain (57.9%). When analyzing daily dietary frequency, participants who consume supplements ingest more meat, egg and soy protein, while those who do not consume supplements ingest more beans, milk and dairy products. Thus, those who make use of this resource on their own, it is possible that food education is an important strategy without them offering health risks.