Identification of the consequences of the proliferation of counterfeit sports supplements market

This study aimed to identify and conceptualize the systemic consequences of the proliferation of counterfeit sports supplements in Iran—an understudied context marked by fragmented regulation and high demand for performance enhancement. Moving beyond isolated health-risk assessments, the research developed an integrated empirical framework drawing on public health, criminology, and sports management perspectives. Through 19 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with consumers, illicit suppliers, and sports nutrition and anti-doping experts—analyzed via Glaserian grounded theory—six interrelated consequence domains emerged: [1] multidimensional health harms; [2] erosion of trust in institutions and brands; [3] athletic performance deterioration and career disruption; [4] inadvertent anti-doping and legal violations; [5] expansion of organized illicit markets; and [6] structural economic harm to legitimate supplement businesses. Findings are grounded in role-specific narratives and contextualized within Iran’s regulatory gaps and transnational counterfeiting dynamics. The study proposes actionable interventions, including legal reform, digital traceability, inter-agency coordination, and targeted public awareness.