The use of medications and dietary supplements is widespread among elite athletes, aiming to enhance performance, recovery, and overall health. The objective of this thesis was to examine the use of medications and dietary supplements among athletes tested in the Republic of Slovenia over an eleven-year period (2013–2023). The aim was to gain insight into the prevalence of these substances among athletes and to analyze differences based on gender, age, sports discipline, and other factors. The data were obtained from doping control forms collected by the Slovenian Anti-Doping Organization (SLOADO) during the specified period. The anonymized data from the athletes' forms included variables such as gender, age, sports discipline, type of testing, and self-declared medications and dietary supplements taken by athletes in the seven days prior to testing. All collected data were manually entered into an electronic database, and medications were classified according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification, while dietary supplements were categorized by functional groups.
The results of our study indicate that athletes most frequently used pain relievers, particularly from the M01A group (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and N02B group (other analgesics), which accounted for 29.6% and 22.1% of all recorded medications, respectively. The most commonly used active ingredient was paracetamol (15.6%), followed by naproxen, ibuprofen, and diclofenac. The use of medications for asthma treatment (R03A and R03B) was also common, especially among athletes in endurance disciplines. Among dietary supplements, proteins (36.0%), multivitamins (27.1%), magnesium (26.7%), and BCAA/amino acids (23.4%) were the most prevalent. Female athletes were more likely to use both medications and dietary supplements, with 51.3% of female athletes reporting medication use and 66.8% reporting dietary supplement use, compared to male athletes, where these percentages were 34.0% and 55.9%, respectively. Female athletes also had a higher usage of vitamin D, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids, while male athletes more frequently used proteins.
The findings of our study contribute to a better understanding of the patterns of medication and dietary supplement use among athletes and highlight the need for education and awareness about the potential negative consequences of improper use of these substances.
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