Dosage forms and sales of sports supplements: safety, health, and legal considerations
Abstract
Objective: Regular physical activity is recognized as one of the key factors in improving public health. Athletes turn to sports
supplements to enhance their athletic performance, and these supplements can have positive effects on the quality of their sports
performance. However, supplements may be associated with safety and health risks, which require further investigation. Therefore,
the aim of this research is to examine the impact of dosage forms on the sales of sports supplements to provide legal, health, and safety
considerations.
Methods: The research data comprised 993 sports supplement products produced by Iranian pharmaceutical companies in 2023,
collected from Iran’s Syndicate of Dietary Supplements Manufacturers website. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and
inferential statistics (Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test) were used with the help oSf PSS software to analyze the data.
Results: Tablets were significantly more distributed than powders (p<0.001), but less than solutions (p = p<0.001) and sachets (p=0.03).
No significant difference was found between tablets and capsules (p=0.66). Solutions were preferred over powders (p<0.001) and
capsules (p=0.003). Capsules outperformed powders (p<0.001), while sachets exceeded powders (p=0.002). No significant difference
was observed between solutions and sachets (p=0.378), and a weak significance was found between capsules and sachets (p=0.05).
Conclusion: Regulatory and educational measures, legal considerations, and dosage differences in sports supplements can improve
consumer health, foster trust, and ensure sustainable success for sports supplement manufacturers. The identified risks stem from the
ingredients, inconsistent regulations, adulteration, side effects, and overconsumption. Manufacturing companies can address these
risks by using methods such as labelling, commitment to quality, obtaining certifications, complying with regulations, and conducting
rigorous testing.
Keywords
Supporting Institution
This study has received no financial support.
Ethical Statement
It does not require ethics
committee approval.
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