The Role of Sports Supplements in Sport Performance
A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Sports Nutrition".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 February 2026 | Viewed by 3672
Special Issue Editors
Interests: sport nutrition; sport supplements; sport performance; health habits; physical fitness; body composition; obesity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
"Food first" has been widely accepted as the preferred strategy within sports nutrition, although there is no consensus on its definition, and its implications are often considered in a limited way or only in an educational context. Close et al. (2022) proposed that "food first" should imply that, whenever practically possible, nutrient intake should come from foods and beverages rather than isolated food components or dietary supplements. There are many reasons to recommend a "food first" strategy, including the risk of contamination from supplements, which could lead to violations of anti-doping regulations.
However, some supplements can enhance health and/or performance, meaning, therefore, that a strict food-only approach may be inadequate. Authors have outlined six reasons why a food-exclusive approach may not always be optimal for athletes:
- Some nutrients are challenging to obtain in sufficient amounts from the diet, potentially requiring excessive energy intake or the consumption of other nutrients.
- Certain nutrients are only abundant in foods that athletes cannot consume or do not prefer.
- The nutrient content of some foods with established ergogenic benefits can be highly variable.
- Concentrated doses of certain nutrients may be necessary to address deficiencies and/or promote immune tolerance.
- Some foods may be difficult to consume immediately before, during, or right after exercise.
- Proven supplements might be beneficial when concerns about hygiene or food contamination arise.
In these scenarios, it is acceptable for athletes to consider dietary supplements as long as a comprehensive risk-minimization strategy is implemented. Consequently, it is essential to emphasize that the full saying should be "food first, but not always". It is crucial to highlight that the use of dietary supplements should not compensate for poor food choices and an inadequate diet, except as a short-term strategy when dietary changes are not feasible (Maughan and Shirreffs, 2011).
Likewise, it is important for different professionals and athletes to remember that a well-chosen diet supports the benefits of evidence-based supplements, whether taken to maximize performance, delay fatigue, alter body composition, or improve health (Larson-Meyer, Woolf, Burke, 2018). Ultimately, considering the safety, efficacy, and legality of supplements, as well as their ability to be tailored to the athlete's age and life cycle (Burke and Peeling, 2018), there are specific cases where evidence-based supplementation may be justified.
Prof. Dr. Antonio Jesús Sanchez-Oliver
Prof. Dr. Eduardo Guerra-Hernández
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- sport nutrition
- sport supplements
- sport performance
- supplement use
- supplement consumption
- security
- evidence
- legality
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