Regulating dietary supplements for athletes: An overview

Abstract

Introduction: Dietary supplements are something added to the diet, mainly: vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs or botanicals, and metabolites/constituents/extracts, or combination of any of these ingredients.Methodology: Survey of secondary literature is the prime methodology for preparing this research article. Research Findings: There is a significant gap in research evaluating various aspects of dietary supplements and their impacts on Indian athletes. There is a need for multicentric, longitudinal studies evaluating various aspects of effects of dietary supplements. All such substances need to be approved by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and should be given to the athletes under the supervision of SAI Certified Specialist Dietitian. Conclusion: The most important factors affecting the adaptations to endurance training are the training stimuli volume and intensity. However, within a given training program, the appropriate use of dietary supplements may offer additional benefits.