Description of Dietary Supplement Consumption Practices Among Athletes in the City of Oujda, Morocco

The use of dietary supplements has been steadily increasing over the years, in parallel with the growth of their commercialization. This trend reflects a significant expansion of the supplement market, particularly among athletes who often seek enhanced physical performance and faster recovery.

In this context, the present study aims to describe the consumption practices of dietary supplements among athletes in the city of Oujda, Morocco. It is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in various gyms, involving 300 male and female participants of different age groups and athletic backgrounds.

Data were collected using a structured questionnaire focusing on consumption frequency, underlying motivations, types of supplements used, sources of information, and perceived health effects.

The results show that 64% of participants reported consuming dietary supplements, mainly to improve physical performance or increase muscle mass. The most commonly consumed category was vitamins (29%), followed by proteins and amino acids (26%).

The most cited sources of information included the internet and social media (28%), sports coaches and peers (25%), while only 17% consulted healthcare professionals.

Regarding risk perception, 28% of respondents mentioned the possibility of drug interactions, 22% reported experiencing adverse effects such as digestive issues, fatigue, or insomnia, and 9% discontinued use due to these effects.

This study highlights the prevalence of self-directed, medically unsupervised supplement use among athletes, with potential health implications including accidental doping.