Dietary Supplementation in High-Performance Athletes: Patterns of Use, Motivations, and Information Sources by Sex and Sport

Dietary supplements are frequently used by athletes to enhance physical and mental health and performance, meet energy needs, manage micronutrient deficiencies, and recover from injuries. This study aimed to assess the consumption of dietary supplements by Portuguese male and female athletes engaged in team and individual sports, including the types of supplements used, the sources of information on them and the main reasons for their usage, and to reach athletes from less studied sports. High-performance-level participants (N = 567, age = 24.5 ± 5.0 years, 183 females and 384 males) completed an online survey; 67.9% reported using dietary supplements (DSs), with an average duration of 6.4 years. Male athletes were the most common users (69.1%) and consumed supplements significantly more frequently than females (p < 0.01). The most popular options were sports drinks (85%), multivitamins/minerals (70%), protein (68%), and creatine (65%). Primary motivations differed by sex: females mainly sought to increase resistance (13.4%), gain muscle mass (12.6%), and correct eating errors and prevent injuries (6.7% each), while males focused on gaining muscle mass (21.4%), increasing resistance (11.3%), and correcting eating errors (8.6%). Most athletes relied on nutritionists (21.0%) and coaches (15.4%) for guidance. These findings suggest that any nutritional deficiencies should be objectively identified and corrected with the guidance of a qualified professional through a personalized nutritional plan.