Sports Supplements Factsheets
Athletes commonly use nutritional supplements. Many of these supplements claim to promote recovery and enhance athletic performance. These products are often purchased based on advertising and peer or coach recommendation but without professional medical advice or an evidence base to support their usage. Some athletes endorse products such as nutritional supplements to enhance recovery or performance, possibly due to positive personal experiences with the product, or to supplement their income. Product endorsement does not necessarily indicate efficacy of the product.
In an attempt to educate athletes, coaches and parents the Irish Sports Council commissioned the development of 20 factsheets, for athletes over 16 years of age, which look at a range of sports supplements and outlines the potential benefits and risks of these products. These factsheets have been developed by leading experts in the field of sports nutrition and sport science and are based on current scientific evidence. Each factsheet is supported by a more in depth technical document which may be of interest to some athletes and others.
The following factsheets are available to download. It is always advisable to seek professional advice from a Sports Dietitian/Nutritionist regarding any nutrition supplement. For those that require further information please contact Dr Sharon Madigan, Performance Nutritionist at science@instituteofsport.ie
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Please Note: Some of the documents above may be in PDF format.
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