maria.sinieghi@unifesp.br

claudia.juzwiak@unifesp.br

*Dietitian graduated from Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)

**Associate Professor at the Department of Human Movement Sciences

at the Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)

Post-doctorate in the area of Food Anthropology

at the Universitat de Barcelona

(Brasil)

Reception: 05/03/2021 - Acceptance: 12/23/2021

1st Review: 10/08/2021 - 2nd Review: 12/08/2021

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Suggested reference: Sinieghi, M.C.R., & Juzwiak, C.R. (2022). Use of Dietary Supplements among Brazilian Surfers. Lecturas: Educación Física y Deportes, 26(285), 51-68. https://doi.org/10.46642/efd.v26i285.3008

 

Abstract

    Surfing is a sport that has become increasingly popular worldwide, and it was one of the competitive disciplines in the Tokyo Olympic Games. Despite the increased interest in mapping the supplement intake profile of athletes, there is a gap in knowledge about its use among surfers. The aim of this study was to map the dietary supplements intake of Brazilian surfers, establishing the type of supplements they consume and their sources of information/counseling, as well as to understand the reasons for using the supplements in relation to the characteristics of the sport. This is a cross-sectional study, in which an adapted questionnaire on habits and perceptions about supplementation, containing 31 questions, was applied to Brazilian adult surfers. Of the 19 surfers interviewed, 68.4% were male, with an average age of 24.7 (SD=5.4) years. The results show the athletes in this study have a higher intake of supplements than found in other studies with surfers, although six athletes did not use any type of supplement. Among those who reported use (n=13), the most cited supplements were whey protein, creatine and branched chain amino acid (BCAA). There was no association between the intake of supplements and competing time, training load, sex, education or being counseled by a nutritionist. Regardless some inconsistencies in the reasons given for using the supplements were observed, nutritionists and coaches/physical trainers were the most frequent and reliable sources of information about decision-making regarding the use of supplements.

    Keywords: Supplementation protocol. Surfing. Athletes. Sports supplementation.

 

Resumo

    O surf é um esporte que vem se popularizando cada vez mais mundialmente e foi uma das modalidades competitivas nos Jogos Olímpicos de Tóquio. Apesar do aumento no interesse em mapear o perfil de consumo de suplementos por atletas, existe uma lacuna no conhecimento sobre o seu consumo entre os surfistas. Este estudo teve como objetivo mapear o consumo de suplementos alimentares por surfistas Brasileiros, estabelecendo o tipo de suplemento consumido e suas fontes de informação/orientação e compreendendo as razões de uso dos suplementos com relação as características do esporte. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, no qual foi aplicado um questionário adaptado sobre hábitos e percepções acerca da suplementação, contendo 31 questões, a surfistas Brasileiros adultos. Dos 19 surfistas entrevistados, 68,4% eram do sexo masculino, com média de idade de 24,7 (DP=5,4) anos. Os resultados apontam que os atletas deste estudo apresentam maior consumo do que o observado em outros estudos com surfistas, embora seis atletas não utilizassem nenhum tipo de suplemento.Entre os que reportaram o uso (n=13), os suplementos mais citados foram o whey protein, creatina e aminoácido de cadeia ramificada (BCAA). Não houve associação entre o consumo de suplementos e o tempo competindo, carga de treinamento, sexo, escolaridade e ser orientado por um nutricionista. Embora tenham sido observadas algumas inconsistências nas razões dadas para o uso dos suplementos, os nutricionistas e os técnicos/preparadores físicos foram as fontes de informações mais frequentes e confiáveis sobre a tomada de decisão de uso de suplementos.

    Unitermos: Protocolo de suplementação. Surfe. Atletas. Suplementação esportiva.

 

Resumen

    El surf es un deporte cada vez más popular a nivel mundial y fue una de las modalidades competitivas en los JJ.OO. de Tokio. A pesar del aumento del interés por investigar perfiles de consumo de suplementos por parte de los deportistas, existe un vacío de conocimiento sobre consumo en surfistas. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo estudiar el consumo de suplementos dietéticos por parte de surfistas brasileños, estableciendo el tipo de suplemento consumido y fuentes de información/orientación y comprendiendo las razones para el uso de suplementos en relación con características del deporte. Es un estudio transversal, se aplicó un cuestionario adaptado sobre hábitos y percepciones sobre la suplementación, con 31 preguntas, a surfistas brasileños adultos. De los 19 surfistas entrevistados, el 68,4% eran hombres, con una edad media de 24,7 (DE=5,4) años. Los resultados indican que los deportistas de este estudio tienen un consumo superior al observado en otros estudios con surfistas, aunque seis deportistas no utilizaban ningún tipo de suplemento, entre los que relataron el uso (n=13), los suplementos más citados fueron proteína de suero, creatina y aminoácidos de cadena ramificada (BCAA). No hubo asociación entre el consumo de suplementos y el tiempo de competencia, la carga de entrenamiento, el género, la educación y ser guiado por un nutricionista. Aunque se observaron algunas inconsistencias en las razones dadas para el uso de suplementos, los nutricionistas y los entrenadores/preparadores físicos fueron las fuentes de información más frecuentes y confiables en la toma de decisiones para el uso de suplementos.

    Palabras clave: Protocolo de suplementación. Surf. Deportistas. Suplementación deportiva.

 

Lecturas: Educación Física y Deportes, Vol. 26, Núm. 285, Feb. (2022)

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Introduction 

 

    Surfing is a water sport practiced in several coastal cities around the world. In Brazil, the boards first arrived in Santos, a city in the state of São Paulo, in the late 1930s, but the sport only became popular when it arrived in Rio de Janeiro (Nogueira, 2015). The large Brazilian coast contributes to its practice in the country, in addition to the climate, which is also very favorable – thus, the sport has been growing in popularity, especially with its Olympic debut at the Olympic Games held in Tokyo (Confederação Brasileira de Surf [CBS], 2020) and a Brazilian gold medal.

 

    Combined with training, nutrition is a fundamental factor for the athletic performance (Thomas et al., 2016). Among nutritional strategies, the use of supplements for the purpose of improving athletic performance has been growing worldwide. Studies show (Knapik et al., 2016; Nabuco et al., 2017; Garthe, & Maughan, 2018) that supplements are consumed by athletes of different ages, levels, and sports disciplines, motivated by several factors including the influence of their coaches and of other athletes as well as media exposure.

 

    In Brazil, dietary supplements are defined according to the legislation as “products for oral ingestion, presented in pharmaceutical forms, intended to supplement the diet of healthy individuals with nutrients, bioactive substances, enzymes or probiotics, isolated or combined” (Brasil, 2018). Despite the increased interest in mapping the profile of supplement intake of athletes, there is a gap in knowledge about the use among surfers. We found only four studies investigating the nutritional profile of surfers, which also provide information on supplement intake (Oosthuizen, 2012; Ribeiro et al., 2015; Rosa et al., 2018; Filho et al., 2021)

 

    Therefore, the aim of this study was to map the dietary supplements intake by Brazilian surfers, establishing the type of supplements they consume and their sources of information/counseling, as well as to understand the reasons for using the supplements in relation to the characteristics of the sport.

 

Methods 

 

Study design 

 

    This cross-sectionals study is part of the Project “Nutritional aspects of surf: energy availability and diet quality” submitted to the Research and Ethics Committee of the Federal University of São Paulo and approved under appraisal #3.316.367/2019. To maintain anonymity surfers will be identified with the letter S followed by a number.

 

Procedures 

 

    We applied a questionnaire originally developed by Graham et al. (2015) to map the use of supplements in parathletes. The version adopted in this study was the translated version into Brazilian Portuguese. It consists of 38 questions, but in the present study, some questions were excluded, totaling 31 questions. The participants in the study by Graham et al. (2015) were of 21 different nationalities, including Brazilian athletes. A pilot study was carried out with a surfer who did not participate in the final study, to assess the understanding of the proposed questions, and there was no need to modify the questionnaire, which was applied face-to-face.

 

    Before answering the questions, athletes were asked to recall how the use of dietary supplements occurred in the previous six months. The questionnaire has discursive and multiple-choice questions, as well as questions with a 5-point Likert scale, addressing five themes: 1) personal, demographic, and anthropometric data; 2) sports experience and eating habits; 3) use of supplements (type, characteristic, time of usage, among others) and their reasons for using it; 4) access to information about supplements and their sources of recommendation; 5) opinions of athletes about supplements (i.e., beliefs).

 

Participants 

 

    The OpenEpi® program was used to calculate the size of the sample considering the number of surfers, the prevalence of intake of supplements by surfers found in the literature, a confidence interval of 95%, and a sample error of 10%. The number of surfers was identified considering athletes of both sexes based on the rankings of the year 2018 provided on the website of the São Paulo State Surfing Federation for the municipal amateur and national professional circuits. Additional sampling criteria were to be Brazilian, registered with their complete name (not nicknames), live in one of three of the states’ coastal cities (Santos, Guarujá, & Bertioga), train at least 3 times/week, and over 18 years of age. The calculated sample size was of 26 surfers. All participants signed the Free and Informed Consent Form before answering the questionnaire.

 

Statistical analysis 

 

    The results are presented as mean, standard deviation and relative frequency. For the study of associations, according to the nature of the variables, the Student’s t-test or Fisher's exact test was applied. A descriptive level of <0.05 was considered significant.

 

Results 

 

    There were difficulties in data collection due to climatic conditions that limited the training days and athletes’ availability. Data collection took place at the athlete's training site, so the researcher (MCSR) traveled to the beach where the surfer was training. Data gathering took place between August 2019 and March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and lockdown was advised by the health agencies. The demographic characteristics of the 19 professional and amateur surfers interviewed are presented in Tables 1 and 2.

 

Characteristic	Mean	Standard deviation	Minimum	Maximum
Age (years)	24.7	5.4	18.0	39.0
Body mass (kg)	63.9	8.9	43.0	78.0
Height (m)	1.6	0.0	1.5	1.8
Competing time (years)	9.8	6.4	0.4	24.0
Participation in events (years)	10.6	8.0	1.0	30.0
Training load (hours/week)	22.2	12.9	4.0	56.0
Training frequency (days/week)	5.3	1.6	3.0	7.0

 

Characteristic		Surfers (n=19)
Sex	Female Male	6 (31.6%) 13 (68.4%)
Level of education	High school College	15 (78.9%) 4 (21.1%)
Place of origin	São Paulo coast Other regions	12 (63.2%) 7 (36.8%)
Profession	Professional surfer Student Other professions1	11 (57.9%) 2 (10.5%) 6 (31.6%)
Level of competition	Regional National International	6 (31.6%) 7 (36.8%) 6 (31.6%)
Regular nutrition counseling	Nutritionist Coach No counseling Mother	6 (31.6%) 1 (5.3%) 11 (57.9%) 1 (5.2%)

¹1 architect, 1 oceanographer, 1 cook, 1 physiotherapist, 1 lifeguard and 1 board producer.

 

    Of the total number of surfers (n=19), six did not use supplements. Table 3 shows the reasons reported for not using supplements.

 

Reasons to not consume supplements*	n=6	%
“It is not healthy”	2	33.3
“I don’t know enough about it”	2	33.3
“It is expensive”	2	33.3
“I don’t need it”	1	16.7
“To take supplements is like cheating”	1	16.7
“Others”	1	16.7

*More than one alternative possible

 

    Among the surfers who used supplements (n=13, 68.4%), they were asked to answer, in as much details as possible, about their supplement intake, the types, and reasons for using them (Table 4).

 

Supplements*		n=13	%	Reasons for use
Carbohydrates	Palatinose	1	7.6	“To ingest more CHO and for a longer period”
	Maltodextrin	1	7.6	“Recovery”
Protein Nature	Whey Protein	9	69.2	“Recovery” (n=4), “To increase and maintain muscle mass” (n=2), “To improve performance” (n=2), “Coach told me to take it” (n=1), “To supply what I don’t eat” (n=1), “Strength” (n=1)
Amino acids	Creatine	8	61.5	“Strength” (n=4), “Weight and muscle mass maintenance” (n=3), “To improve performance” (n=2), “Recovery” (n=2), “To provide energy” (n=2), “To retain fluids and have more resistance” (n=1), “To lose fat (n=1)
	BCAA	7	53.8	“Recovery” (n=4), “Recommended by the nutritionist” (n=1), “Psychological” (n=1), “To avoid pain” (n=1), “To replace food” (n=1), “Guided by colleagues” (n=1)
	Glutamine	2	15.3	“Recommended by nutritionist for recovery” (n=1), “To not catabolize” (n=1)
	L-glycine	1	7.6	“To improve performance and muscle recovery”
Vitamins and minerals	Vitamin B12	2	15.3	“To provide more energy” (n=2)
	Multivitamins	2	15.3	“To increase immunity” (n=1), “To balance vitamins” (n=1)
	Magnesium	1	7.6	“To improve absorption of nutrients and replace lost Mg”
Others	Thermogenic	1	7.6	“To accelerate metabolism and burn fat”
	Ecdysterone	1	7.6	“To improve performance and muscle recovery”

*More than one answer possible

 

    On average, surfers consumed 2.7 (SD=1.0) types of supplements, with a minimum consumption of 1 supplement and a maximum of 4, not necessarily representing a daily consumption.

 

    Regarding the opinion of the athletes, 57.9% agreed that not all nutritional supplements that are commercially available in the market have been scientifically tested and are safe to use. In addition, 84.2% agreed that the intake of some supplements may pose a health risk.

 

    Only two athletes reported adverse reactions from supplement use. One of them reported constipation and more thirst with creatine consumption, while another surfer reported that whey protein led to the development of teeth tartar. These effects are not supported in the literature that discusses possible adverse effects of the use of creatine. (Antonio et al., 2021)

 

    Using a scale from 1 (most used/reliable) to 5 (rarely used/unreliable), surfers were asked to rate the sources they used to decide about the use of supplements. The results are shown in Figures 1 and 2.

 

 

 

    Athletes were also asked about how they decided whether a supplement was safe to use: 62%of the surfers reported consulting a nutritionist and 39% their coach.

 

    There was no association between the intake of supplements and competing time (years) (p=0.06), training load (hours/week) (p=0.7), sex (p=0.3), education (p=0.9) or being counseled by a nutritionist (p=0.7).

 

Discussion 

 

    The present study showed a higher frequency of surfers (68.4%) consuming supplements than that found in other studies. The study by Rosa et al. (2018), in which 21 amateur athletes from Itajaí/Santa Catarina, Brazil, of both sexes were evaluated, reported the intake of supplements by only 14% of the surfers, while Ribeiro et al. (2015) recruited 48 professional Brazilian male surfers and observed the intake of supplements by 30.3% of the athletes. Oosthuizen (2012) interviewed 41 professional male surfers who participated in a competition at the South African coast, with an average age of 16 years old, and observed that 51.2% of the athletes ingested some supplement. The study by Filho et al. (2021), in which 17 female recreational surfers were evaluated, only 6% of the participants consumed a supplement.

 

    In general, the reasons for consuming dietary supplements were similar to those discussed by Maughan et al. (2018), who point out that this consumption by athletes occurs for reasons such as the supply of energy and nutrients during an exercise session, achieving a specific performance benefit, allowing for more effective training, among others. Similar findings were presented in the study by Rosa et al. (2018), in which the reasons for use indicated by surfers were to increase muscle mass (56%) and increase performance during physical activity (36%). However, when looking at the specific reasons for each supplement use in this study, there is some disagreement with the literature.

 

    The most consumed supplement by surfers was whey protein. This supplement was also one of the most consumed in other studies: 27.3% (Ribeiro et al., 2015) and 14.6% (Oosthuizen, 2012) of surfers.

 

    Among the reasons mentioned for its use are recovery and the increase and maintenance of muscle mass. Whey protein supplementation can be considered as a positive strategy, able to ensure, within a balanced diet, the adequate intake (qualitatively and quantitatively) of protein, in a safe and practical way (Jäger et al., 2017). It also contributes with the synthesis of muscle protein associated with exercise, resulting in lean mass gain. In addition, Taylor et al. (2016) state that even with some divergent results, supplementation with whey protein has been reported as a factor in improving body composition and performance of athletes, including increased strength.

 

    The use of creatine as a dietary supplement has become popular in recent decades (Butts et al., 2018) and was the second most consumed supplement by the surfers in this study.

 

    The athletes reported using creatine aiming mainly at strength, maintaining body weight and muscle mass, improving performance, recovery, and for energy supply. Evidence shows that creatine acts by increasing the performance capacity in predominantly anaerobic exercises, elevates the intramuscular content of creatine and reduces the loss of performance between series of high intensity intermittent exercise (Nemezio et al., 2015; Maughan et al., 2018). Due to the variation in intensity, duration and active recovery, surfing has an intermittent characteristic (García et al., 2008; Peirão et al., 2008; Vaghetti et al., 2018), we may therefore infer that the consumption of this supplement may be positive for performance in this sport. Furthermore, the lean mass gains and improvements in muscular strength and power obtained using creatine contribute to chronic training adaptations (Maughan et al., 2018). Thus, it can be noted that not all reasons for its use described by the surfers are in line with what the literature describes.

 

    Although some athletes reported adverse effects from the use of creatine and whey protein, there is no scientific evidence that long-term use of creatine has any detrimental effects on healthy individuals (Kerksick et al., 2018). Some studies associated the chronic use of high doses of whey protein (above 40 g/day) with different negative effects, especially in sedentary people (Vasconcelos, Bachur, & Aragão, 2020). However, more research in this area is necessary because some studies are not able to differentiate whether the negative effect was exclusively due to the use of whey protein or excessive dietary protein. (Vasconcelos, Bachur, & Aragão, 2020)

 

    Among the amino acid supplements, BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids) was the most consumed. Both Rosa et al. (2018) and Ribeiro et al. (2015) also reported the intake of this supplement by surfers. The popularity of BCAA is associated with the claim that together with physical exercise, it may stimulate muscle protein synthesis (Santos, & Nascimento, 2019). However, both for muscle gain and performance improvement, the lack of quality in the studies’ methods and results’ heterogeneity do not consolidate conclusive evidence about the use of BCAA as an ergogenic resource for sport. (Kerksick et al, 2018; Master, & Macedo, 2020)

 

    Carbohydrate is one of the best ergogenic resources available for athletes (Kerksick et al., 2018; Burke, 2019) practicing a variety of sports, especially those of long duration, such as surfing. There is strong evidence of the efficacy of carbohydrates, consumed as beverages, gels/bars or foods within an individualized plan at different moments of exercise (before, during, and recovery) (Fontan, & Amadio, 2015; Kerksick et al., 2018; Burke, 2019). However, in the present study, only two athletes mentioned the use of this supplement, in contrast to what was found in the study by Ribeiro et al. (2015), in which 30.3% of the surfers consumed maltodextrin. The main reasons for using palatinose and maltodextrinin reported in this study were to increase carbohydrate intake and recovery. It is possible that athletes have not considered commercially available solutions based on carbohydrates (e.g., sports drinks) and carbo powders as supplements.

 

    Few athletes reported taking isolated or combined vitamins and minerals, in contradiction with other studies (Oosthuizen, 2012, Knapik et al., 2016; Garthe, & Maughan, 2018). When it comes to vitamins and minerals, the recommendation is to reach the values ​​recommended by the Dietary Reference Intakes – DRIs, and if athletes decide to supplement, they should not exceed the Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (Thomas et al., 2016), as supplementation can lead to an excessive intake of these micronutrients and be harmful to health. Carlsohn et al. (2011) concluded that athletes with high energy intake can exceed the maximum tolerable limit of the DRIs if supplements are added to their diet, emphasizing the need for advice aimed at balancing food intake rather than supplements consumption. As examples, there is a risk of toxicity when supplementing with vitamin D in athletes, even though reports of cases of vitamin D toxicity are limited (Owens et al., 2018); likewise, high doses of antioxidants can act as pro-oxidants. (Thomas et al., 2016)

 

    However, the intake of multivitamins is recommended for people with nutritional deficits, as it acts by decreasing dietary deficiencies and improving nutritional status (Biesalski, & Tinz, 2017); therefore, low-dose-multivitamin supplements may be used for short periods of time when athletes are unable to achieve a nutrient-rich balanced diet. (Burke, 2019)

 

    There is no evidence to support the reason for the use of magnesium by surfers (Kerksick et al., 2018). The reasons mentioned for its use highlight inconsistencies between what is consumed, the mechanisms of action, and the evidence which effectively and safely support the intake.

 

    Two vegetarian athletes declared that they consumed vitamin B12 to have more energy but made no association between their diet and a possible contribution of this vitamin to achieve their requirements, depending on their intake of animal food (García Maldonado et al., 2019). Multivitamins are taken to increase the immunity and the balance of vitamins, while magnesium use was reported for better absorption of nutrients, as well as to replace magnesium losses.

 

    The use of thermogenics was mentioned by only one surfer with the aim of accelerating the metabolism and burning fat. However, the athlete did not know its composition. According to IOC (2018), there is a lack of evidence for the effectiveness of supplements used for "burning fat" and what is known is still far from conclusive. There is evidence of adverse effects associated with this supplement, depending on its composition. (Popovic et al., 2018; Galnares-Olalde et al., 2019)

 

    One surfer, aiming to improve performance and muscle recovery reported taking the anabolic substance ecdysterone, but did not specify which type. Ecdysterone is a polyhydroxylated cholesterol derivative present in plants and invertebrates, in which it is responsible for the molting of insects, acting like an endocrine growth hormone (Ambrosio et al., 2020). This supplement is marketed as a "natural anabolic agent". The study by Isenmann et al. (2019) demonstrated the effect of ecdysterone on performance improvement in humans, highlighting the need to include this compound in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA, 2021) list, in class S1 “Anabolic Agents”.

 

    Therefore, according to the literature, creatine, whey protein and carbohydrate supplements seem to contribute to better surfing performance. However, it is important to highlight that despite the contribution of some supplements to better sports performance, an individualized supplementation protocol and nutritional counseling based on scientific evidence is essential to improve sports performance.

 

    Although there are few studies with surfers, the use of supplements is observed among Brazilian athletes from other sports, with various levels (recreational; athletes) and ages. The highest prevalence was observed among bodybuilding athletes, with 100% of athletes consuming some supplement (Peçanha, Navarro, & Maia, 2015) and the lowest among road runners (28.3% of athletes) (Salgado et al., 2014). The most frequently consumed supplements are whey protein, carbohydrate supplements, BCAA and vitamin supplements. (Goston, & Correia, 2010; Salgado et al., 2014; Lacerda et al., 2015; Peçanha, Navarro, & Maia, 2015; Rossi, & Tirapegui, 2016; Soares, Rougemont, & Ribas, 2017; Perim et al., 2019; Vancini et al., 2021)

 

    This study highlights the lack of or mistaken knowledge about the definition of dietary supplements. Some of the surfers did not know what they were taking (including the brand or type of supplement), but they took it for certain reasons that they believed in but did not know if it was suitable for the goal they were aiming for. It is possible that some cheaper and more popular substances are not understood as supplements by surfers - for example, sports drinks or powdered carbohydrates for making hydration drinks. In addition, these supplements have widespread use, that is, some consume even in substitution of refreshment beverages, and therefore, they may not have been reported. Supplements for health purposes, such as specific vitamins, were also rarely reported by the surfers, reinforcing the lack of information on the concept of dietary supplements and its use to complement inadequate diets. Apparently, they seek supplements to improve performance or body aspects, that is, as ergogenic aids.

 

    Although only six athletes claimed to be routinely counseled by a nutritionist, most indicated that their main source for decision making on supplements and the one they consider the most reliable are nutritionists. A similar finding was observed in another Brazilian study, in which 58% triathletes and bodybuilders indicated nutritionists as the most reliable source of nutritional information (Oliva, & Juzwiak, 2013). Still, coaches and physicians are reported as important sources of decision-making. Other studies agree with those findings (Garcez et al., 2016; Thomas et al., 2016). However, consumption of dietary supplements with direct or indirect participation of professionals who are not suitable for recommending supplementation is still observed. (Castro, 2007 apud Mantovani et al., 2017)

 

    An initial hypothesis would be that surfers tend to use more “natural” supplements, such as those based on herbs or even vegan supplements, in view of their relationship with nature. However, this hypothesis was not confirmed in the present study. This may be due to the surfers’ purchasing power, but we don’t have this information for further discussion. Another assumption was that some reasons for use would not be in accordance with what is described in the literature, highlighting the surfers lack or incomplete knowledge about supplements. These inconsistencies were also observed in the study by Petróczi, & Naughton (2007), in which out of 30 possible associations between the supplements and the reasons for its use, only eight presented (not strong) evidence.

 

    Regarding the comparison of supplement intake among the surfers, there was no significant difference between individuals in relation to sex, education, time competing, being counseled by a nutritionist or training load (hours/week). This finding is not corroborated by the systematic reviews by Garcez et al. (2016) and Nabuco et al. (2016), in which athletes with more training hours were more likely to use supplements, while Maughan et al. (2018) suggest that the use of supplements increases with the level of training and with age and is higher in men than in women. Therefore, our results must be carefully evaluated as we had a limited sample size. In addition, we believe studies with groups of athletes with different competitive levels can provide interesting information on the pattern of use of supplements.

 

Conclusion 

 

    The results obtained in this study suggest that the consumption of supplements among this group of surfers is higher than that found in three other studies carried out with surfers, and that they are guided mainly by nutritionists, but with the influence of other professionals. Inconsistencies in the reasons given for using the supplements were also observed. This demonstrates the importance of developing nutritional education activities and providing nutritional counseling on a regular basis for these athletes.

 

Aknowledgments 

 

    We than Felipe Granado for helping with the statistics and Ms. Gabriella Pegorin for the support.

 

References 

 

Antonio, J., Candow, D.G., Forbes, S.C., & Gualano, B. (2021). Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(13). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w

 

Biesalski, H.K., & Tinz, J. (2017). Multivitamin/mineral supplements: Rationale and safety - A systematic review. Nutrition, 33, 76-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2016.02.013

 

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Carlsohn, A., Cassel, M., Linné, K., & Mayer, F. (2011). How much is too much? A case report of nutritional supplement use of a high-performance athlete. British Journal of Nutrition, 105(12), 1724–1728. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114510005556

 

Castro, G.F.S. (2007). Suplementação de aminoácidos no esporte: Funciona? [Un published specialization thesis]. GANEP Nutrição Humana.

 

Confederação Brasileira de Surf (2020). Divulgada a nova data para a estreia do surf nos Jogos Olímpicos de Tóquio. https://cbsurf.org.br/

 

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Lecturas: Educación Física y Deportes, Vol. 26, Núm. 285, Feb. (2022)