Análise do uso de suplementos alimentares e recursos Ergogênicos por frequentadores de uma academia de fortaleza- CE

Abstract

Currently a large number of people are looking for activities in the gym, among them bodybuilding, aiming at aesthetic improvements. The search for this perfect body causes these individuals to use a wide variety of food supplements and other ergogenic resources in order to enhance these results, often in the wrong way and without the prescription of a qualified professional. The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence of food supplements and other ergogenic resources in a gym in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, by means of a questionnaire containing 17 questions (objective and discursive) about the subject. We interviewed 85 people, among them 33 men and 52 women, aged between 18 and 58 years old, who practiced bodybuilding at a gym in the city. There was an expressive number indicating the use or knowledge of someone close to the interviewees who use these products (97.6%), and that young adults between 18 and 30 reported higher consumption of these substances than people of more advanced age (p <0.05). The supplements most cited by the interviewees were Whey Protein and BCAA, with the main motivation for use being the nutritional indication of the nutrition professional. 56.5% of the sample claims to have received advice from a nutritionist for the use of the products. An alarming finding has been found regarding the use of anabolic steroids, where 67.1% of respondents say they do or know someone who uses such substances. The high consumption of food supplements and other ergogenic resources point out the need to warn these users, and new ones that may arise, of risks related to misuse and without the advice of a qualified professional.