Inadvertent doping through supplement use by athletes: Assessment and management of the risk in Australia

Many athletes report using a wide range of special sports foods and supplem ents. In the present study of 77 elite Australian swimmers, 99% of those su rveyed reported the use of these special preparations, with 94% of swimmers reporting the use of non-food supplements. The most popular dietary supple ments were vitamin or mineral supplements (used by 94% of the group), herba l preparations (61%), and creatine (31%). Eighty-seven percent of swimmers reported using a sports drink or other energy-providing sports food. In tot al, 207 different products were reported in this survey. Sports supplements , particularly supplements presented as pills or other non-food form, are p oorly regulated in most countries, with little assurance of quality control . The risk of an inadvertent "positive doping test" through the use of spor ts supplements or sports foods is a small but real problem facing athletes who compete in events governed by anti-doping rules. The elite swimmers in this survey reported that information about the "doping safety" of suppleme nts was important and should be funded by supplement manufacturers. Althoug h it is challenging to provide such information, we suggest a model to prov ide an accredited testing program suitable for the Australian situation, wi th targeted athlete education about the "sports safety" of sports supplemen ts and foods.