Analysis of Sports Supplements Consumption in 1688 federated road cyclists [Dataset]

Abstract

The widespread use of sports supplements (SS) to enhance athletic performance extends to cyclists, but studies are scarce on this subject within this sport. This descriptive and cross-sectional study involved 1688 federated road cyclists, aiming to analyze the pattern of SS consumption concerning the degree of scientific evidence and different categories. The study categorized SS based on the groups and subgroups established by the Australian Sport Institute (AIS, 2023) according to the level of evidence. Results showed that 62.5% of the sample used SS, with an average of 12.2 ± 8.6 supplements per participant. Health status (78.2%), pharmacies (62.5%), and medical doctors (45.7%) were the main reasons, purchase sites, and sources of information for SS consumption, respectively. The most prevalent SS consumed were sport gels (94%), sport bars (89.3%), and sport drinks (73.8%). Notably, 80% of the top ten most consumed SS belonged to the group with the highest level of evidence according to the AIS, with an average of 6.9 ± 3.2 supplements per par-ticipant. However, 23.3% of total SS consumers were using prohibited substances. In conclusion, while the prevalence of SS consumption among road cyclists is considerable and the primary sources for purchasing and advice are reliable, there is a notable prevalence of prohibited substance use within the sample.