Dietary Supplements – A Sports Industry Update

Session Description:

Some estimates report that more than 75% of athletes use dietary supplements for prevention, performance, or recovery. The safety of supplements is a primary concern due to the lack of federal regulations on quality control and potential for contamination or adulteration with substances banned in sport. This session will provide up to date information on supplement trends, including new ingredients of concern and steps for educating athletes using a multidisciplinary team approach. Of special mention will also be an overview of the different third-party supplement certification programs and other tools for addressing supplement safety with athletes.

 

By the end of the presentation, attendees will be able to:

• Describe current trends in supplement use among athletes and the impact of a multidisciplinary team approach to ensure athlete safety.
• Identify key ingredients that put athletes at risk for positive drug-tests and adverse health outcomes.
• Interpret supplement safety through the use of multiple tools and resources including the use of third-party supplement certification programs.

 

Speaker Bio:

Lara is a board-certified sports dietitian and Director of Education, specializing in educational programming for athletes on supplement safety, sports nutrition, athlete-focused recipes, and drug and alcohol deterrence. A former collegiate sports dietitian at Colorado State University, Lara’s interactions with student-athletes and collaborative work with athletic training and coaching staff introduced many of the challenges associated with promoting whole foods over dietary supplements. Drug Free Sport’s involvement in sport drug-testing keeps her on the forefront of ongoing concerns related to dietary supplement use and the lack of awareness for food-first solutions in sport, as well as issues related to performance-enhancing drugs and substances of abuse. Lara manages communications with athletes, parents, and coaches where perceptions of “acceptable” supplement use and needed education on supplement safety and sports nutrition solutions overlap. As the leader of Drug Free Sport AXIS, Lara is a highly requested speaker and implements a “team behind the team” strategy of holistic cooperation among athletic administrators to place athletes in the best positions for success.