Table 1.
Summary of studies with prevalence and most used dietary supplements.
| Publication-Country | Target Population | Age Mean ± SD (Years) |
Sex (Sample Size) |
Data Collection Method (Time Frame) |
Prevalence (Defined Use) | Most Used Supplements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aguilar-Navarro et al. (2021) Spain [20] |
Elite athletes (Individual & team sports) | 15–66 | Total: 504 M (n = 329) F (n = 175) |
Questionnaire (preceding season) |
62% M:65% F: 57% (reported using at least one DS) |
M: Protein supplements. F: Multivitamins; Branched chain amino acids. |
| Baltazar-Martins et al. (2019) Spain [21] |
Elite athletes (Individual & team sports) | NC | Total: 527 M (n = 346) F (n = 181) |
Questionnaire (past year) |
64% M: 67% F: 58% (reported using at least one DS) |
Proteins; amino acids/ Branched chain amino acids; multivitamins. |
| Barrack et al. (2022) USA [22] |
NCAA Division I athletes | NR | Total: 557 M (n = 298) F (n = 259) |
Survey (past year) |
45% (reported using at least one DS on 2 or more days per week) |
M: Protein/amino acid supplements. F: Vitamin/mineral supplements. |
| Barrack et al. (2021) USA [23] |
Elite collegiate endurance runners | 18–22 | Total: 135 M (n = 65) F (n = 70) |
Survey (past 4 weeks) |
79% M: 74% F: 83% (reported using at least one DS) |
Multivitamin/minerals; iron. M: Amino acids; beta-alanine. F: Iron; calcium. |
| Barrack et al. (2020) USA [24] |
Preadolescent endurance runners | 13.2 ± 0.9 | Total: 2113 M (n = 1255) F (n = 858) |
Web-based Survey (past year) | 26% M: 22% F: 33% (reported using DS on 2 or more days per week) |
Sport foods; multivitamin/minerals. M: Creatine and sport foods. F: Multivitamin/minerals, vitamin D, calcium, iron, probiotic supplements, and diet pills. |
| Caraballo et al. (2020) Spain [25] |
Elite sailors | 12–17 | Total: 42 M (n = 31) F (n = 11) |
Questionnaire (General and current) | 50% M: 55% F: 46% |
M: Isotonic drinks; caffeine. F: Vitamin D; vitamin complexes. |
| Domínguez et al. (2020) Spain [26] |
Heavyweight and lightweight rowers | 23 ± 3 | Total: 20 M (n = 16) F (n = 4) |
Questionnaire (general and current—during the sports season) | 100% | Iron; caffeine; β-alanine, energy bars; vitamin supplements; and isotonic drinks. |
| Graybeal et al. (2022) USA [27] |
Endurance cyclists, runners, and triathletes. | 39.4 ± 13.5 | Total: 200 M (n = 92) F (n = 108) |
Digital questionnaire (current use) | 78% | Multivitamin; electrolytes; vitamin D; protein. |
| Hackett (2022) Australia [41] |
Bodybuilders | ≥18 years | Total: 235 M (n = 235) |
Online survey (off season and 6 weeks before a competition) | 96% | Creatine monohydrate; whey protein. |
| Hurst et al. (2020) United Kingdom [38] |
Team and individual sports athletes | 20.8 ± 4.5 | Total: 557 M (n = 429) F (n = 128) |
Survey (current use) | 53% | Ergogenic supplements. |
| Jovanov et al. (2019) Serbia, Germany, Japan, Croatia [34] |
Team and individual sports athletes | 15–18 | Total: 348 M (n = 174) F (n = 174) |
Survey (current use) | 82% M: 61% F: 39% |
M: Whey protein, creatine, amino acids, caffeine, and NO reactor. F: Vitamins and mineral complexes. |
| Madden et al. (2018) Canada [43] |
Wheelchair rugby athletes | 36.3 ± 9.5 | Total: 42 M (n = 33) F (n = 9) |
Questionnaire (past three months) | M: 91% F: 78% (reported using at least one DS) |
Electrolytes, sport bars, vitamin D, protein powder, and MVMM (multivitamin multimineral). M: Vitamin D, protein powder, and electrolytes. F: MVMM and vitamin D. |
| Mata et al. (2021) Spain [28] |
Fencers | 21.8 ± 5.9 years | Total: 49 M (n = 18) F (n = 31) |
Questionnaire (General and current) | 47% | Sports drinks, vitamin C, sport bars, caffeine. M: Sports drinks, sports bars, and iron. F: Sports drinks, sports bars, and caffeine. |
| Montuori et al. (2021) Italy [42] |
Bodybuilders | >18 | Total: 107 M (n = 73) F (n = 34) |
Questionnaire/survey (general and current) | 82% M: 66% F: 34% |
NR |
| Muñoz et al. (2020) Spain [29] |
Handball players | NR | Total: 187 M (n = 112) F (n = 75) |
Online Questionnaire (current use) | 60% (reported using at least one DS) |
Sports drinks, energy bars and caffeine-containing products. M: creatine and L-carnitine. |
| Oliveira et al. (2022) Australia, Canada, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway and Portugal. [35] |
Elite football players | Median age: 24 | Total: 103 F (n = 103) |
Questionnaire (past year) |
82% (reported using at least one DS) |
Vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein (including whey protein and casein). |
| Roy et al. (2021) Canada [6] |
Varsity athletes | 20.5 ± 1.8 | Total: 302 M (n = 92) F (n = 210) |
Questionnaire (past 6 months) |
58% M: 66% F: 53% (reported using at least one DS) |
Protein, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrate supplements. M: Amino acid supplements and stimulants. F: Prebiotics and probiotics. |
| Sánchez-Oliver et al. (2021) Spain [30] |
Rugby players | M: 24.3 ± 5.0 F: 24.0 ± 4.9 |
Total: 144 M (n = 83) F (n = 61) |
Questionnaire (general) | 65% M: 77% F: 49% (reported using at least one DS on some occasion) |
Whey protein, caffeine, sport drinks, energy bars, creatine monohydrate, BCAAs, and glutamine.M: Whey protein, creatine monohydrate, and glutamine. |
| Sassone et al. (2019) USA [31] |
NCAA Division I athletes | 18–26 | Total: 557 M (n = 229) F (n = 258) |
Survey (past year) | 45% (reported using ≥1 dietary supplements ≥2 days per week) |
Pre-workout & herbal supplements. |
| Sekulic et al. (2019) Croatia and Kosovo [36] |
Professional team-sport athletes | 22.11 ± 3.37 | Total: 912 M (n = 556) F (n = 356) |
Questionnaire (General and current) | 13% (consumed DS regularly 36% (consumed DS occasionally) |
Vitamins/minerals, isotonic drinks, energy bars, iron, recovery supplements, carbohydrates, proteins/amino acids. |
| Shoshan et al. (2021) USA [32] |
Football players | 16.9 ± 1.2 | Total: 102 M (n = 98) F (n = 4) |
Online questionnaire (general and current) | 60% (protein supplements)29% (pre-workout supplements) | NR |
| Tabata et al. (2020) Japan [39] |
Track and field elite athletes | Junior athletes: 17.7 ± 1.1 years Senior athletes: (25.2 ± 3.9 years |
Total: 574 M (n = 314) F (n = 260) |
Pre participation medical form (current use) | 64% M: 60% F: 69% |
Amino acids, vitamins, minerals, proteins. M: Protein, creatine. F: Vitamins, amino acids. |
| Vento & Wardenaar (2020) USA [15] |
NCAA I collegiate student athletes | 20 ± 1.6 years | Total: 138 M (n = 49) F (n = 89) |
Questionnaire (Past year) | 100% (reported using at least one DS) |
Multivitamin and mineral supplements, and single vitamins or minerals. F: Vitamins and single minerals, exotic berries, herbs, maca root powder, ribose, ephedra, colostrum, and hydroxy-methyl-butyrate. |
| Ventura Comes et al. (2018) Spain [33] |
National & international squash players | International players: 25.0 ± 6.2 National players: 35.6 ± 14.2 |
Total: 42 M (n = 29) F (n = 13) |
Questionnaire—survey (General and current) | lnternational athletes: 100% National athletes: 68% |
Ergogenic aids C, sports food. |
| Waller et al. (2019) Australia [40] |
Individual and team sports’ athletes | 20.4 ± 4.5 | Total: 94 M (n = 39) F (n = 55) |
Online questionnaire (past year) | 87% (reported using at least one DS) |
Sports drinks, caffeine, protein powder, and sports bars. |
| Wangdi et al. (2021) a 15 countries [37] |
Individual and team sports’ athletes | 27.6 ± 9.8 | Total: 80 M (n = 51) F (n = 27) did not disclose (n = 2) |
Online questionnaire (current and previous use) | 11% (reported current use)11% (reported previous use) | N/A |
Percentages were rounded to the nearest whole number. DS: Dietary supplements; F: Females; M: Males; NR: Not reported; NC: Not clear; a This study investigated tart cherry use only.