Dietary Supplement Use in Sport Gyms in Lebanon: Are They Necessary and are There Side-Effects?

Abstract

Background: The use of dietary supplements is very common in sport gyms worldwide. However, their use in exercisers in Lebanese gyms has never been investigated. Objectives: The study aim was to evaluate the dietary intake of food macronutrients and to explore any side-effects associated with this kind of consumption. Patients and Methods: Three hundred and sixty exercisers aged 20 - 50 years were randomly selected for participation in this cross-sectional study. The majority were men (60%) aged 20 - 30 years (78%). Results: The intake of dietary supplements was observed in 38% of the study participants, with the highest prevalence in men (73%). It was also found that daily protein intake exceeded dietary needs in 92% of the participants, while daily fat intake was less than that required in 76% of them. It was noteworthy that 63% of supplement users in this study reported having experienced between one and several side-effects. Conclusions: These results indicate a lack of awareness among people who exercise regularly on the benefits and side-effects of dietary supplements. There is an urgent need for the implementation of campaigns that target gym users in Lebanon to raise awareness in this regard.