Doping Through Supplement Use: A Review of the Available Empirical Data
Abstract
The potential for supplement use to result in doping infringements is likely to be of concern for anyone involved in sports nutrition. The available data indicates that between 40–70% of athletes use supplements, and that between 10–15% of supplements may contain prohibited substances. Such data indicates that there is a considerable risk of accidental or inadvertent doping through using supplements. Accordingly, this paper sets out to provide an overview of the currently available empirical evidence of accidental doping by supplement use. In carrying out this task, the authors refer to press releases and proxy measures associated with nutritional supplement use, as well as statistical data on supplement contamination rates and doping infractions. A number of different indications as to the percentage of doping cases that might be attributed to supplement use are presented, ranging from 6.4% to 8.8%. Such percentages are not comparable; instead they are provided as indications as to how difficult it is to ascertain or estimate the scale of this problem. Although some forms of estimation can be made, it is suggested that it is currently not possible to quantify the scale of the problem. By way of conclusion, it is argued that antidoping regulators may wish to review current data gathering and information provision systems so that the problem of inadvertent doping can be more directly assessed as a factor in sports doping overall.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Dietary supplements may be contaminated with banned substances.
“In addition to widely varying ingredient contents, dietary supplements may also be contaminated with banned substances.”
From How reliable is the labeling of a commercial phytosteroid product? A 12-week randomized double-blind training study (2025) · cites this paper as [31]
It is estimated that 6.4-8.8% of positive doping cases can be attributed to the use of contaminated dietary supplements.
“It is estimated that 6.4–8.8% of positive doping cases can be attributed to the use of contaminated dietary supplements [31–33].”
From How reliable is the labeling of a commercial phytosteroid product? A 12-week randomized double-blind training study (2025) · cites this paper as [31]
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Prevalence of dietary supplement use by athletes: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Knapik, J. J., Steelman, R. A., Hoedebecke, S. S., Austin, K. G., Farina, E. K., & Lieberman, H. R. (2016) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.1007/s40279-015-0387-7 · Cited by 452 · see citing works
“Competitive athletes also need to be concerned with excessive use and possible adverse interactions due to polypharmacy [22, 23], and inadvertent doping due to the inadequate quality control of some dietary supplements [24, 25].”
BackgroundNew strategies in sport nutrition to increase exercise performance
Close, G. L., Hamilton, D. L., Philp, A., Burke, L. M., & Morton, J. P. (2016) · Free Radical Biology and Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2016.01.016 · Cited by 221 · see citing works
“Given the risk of supplement contamination and the potential for failed drug tests [118] supplements are now often only given when there is a clear rationale for their use combined with the availability of independently drug-tested products.”
BackgroundSanz, J. M. M., Sospedra, I., Ortiz, C. M., Baladía, E., Gil‐Izquierdo, Á., & Ortiz-Moncada, R. (2017) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu9101093 · Cited by 211 · see citing works
“The purpose is to produce a reliable source of information in which the athlete can check the safety of the supplement to be consumed [50].”
BackgroundProhibited Contaminants in Dietary Supplements
Mathews, N. M. (2017) · Sports Health A Multidisciplinary Approach · doi:10.1177/1941738117727736 · Cited by 177 · see citing works
“8% of doping cases are caused by tainted dietary supplements.(53)”
BackgroundDietary supplements as source of unintentional doping
Kozhuharov, V. R., Ivanov, K., & Ivanova, S. (2022) · BioMed Research International · doi:10.1155/2022/8387271 · Cited by 108 · see citing works
“8% of reported doping cases are the result of undeclared substances in dietary supplements [96].”
Christensen, P. M., Shirai, Y., Ritz, C., & Nordsborg, N. B. (2017) · Frontiers in Physiology · doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00240 · Cited by 108 · see citing works
“Moreover, the risk of contamination or undeclared illegal substances in products is noteworthy and can result in a positive doping test (Geyer et al., 2004; Outram and Stewart, 2015).”
Background“Food First but Not Always Food Only”: Recommendations for Using Dietary Supplements in Sport
Close, G. L., Kasper, A. M., Walsh, N. P., & Maughan, R. J. (2022) · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2021-0335 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
“Indeed, Outram and Stewart (2015) estimated that between 6 and 9% of doping cases may be attributed to supplement use, although it is important to note that these data are taken from reported doping violations in the period 2005-2013.”
InfluentialPrevalence of Dietary Supplement Use among Athletes Worldwide: A Scoping Review
Daher, J., Mallick, M., & Khoury, D. T. D. E. (2022) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu14194109 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
“Athletes were one of the most targeted groups of interest because they represent a major part of dietary supplement users [10].”
BackgroundUndeclared Doping Substances are Highly Prevalent in Commercial Sports Nutrition Supplements
Duiven, E., van Loon, L. J. C., Spruijt, L., Koert, W., & de Hon, O. M. (2021) · Journal of Sports Science and Medicine · doi:10.52082/jssm.2021.328 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
“Consequently, it is estimated that up to 9% of all the positive doping tests nowadays are caused by elite athletes using poorly labeled sports nutrition supplements (Outram and Stewart, 2015).”
BackgroundBarwood, M. J., Gibson, O. R., Gillis, D. J., Jeffries, O., Morris, N. B., Pearce, J., Ross, M. L., Stevens, C. J., Rinaldi, K., Kounalakis, S. N., et al. (2020) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.1007/s40279-020-01313-9 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Dietary supplements as a major cause of anti-doping rule violations
Lauritzen, F. (2022) · Frontiers in Sports and Active Living · doi:10.3389/fspor.2022.868228 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
The new front in the war on doping: Amateur athletes
Henning, A., & Dimeo, P. (2017) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2017.05.036 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
“For example, a study of Australian club-level cyclists reported that athletes perceived some form of drug use as necessary for advancing to the professional level (Outram & Stewart, 2015).”
BackgroundPotential harmful effects of dietary supplements in sports medicine
Deldicque, L., & Francaux, M. (2016) · Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care · doi:10.1097/mco.0000000000000321 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Placentino, U., Sogari, G., Viscecchia, R., De Devitiis, B., & Monacis, L. (2021) · Foods · doi:10.3390/foods10051117 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
“As reported by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), between 10 and 25% of currently marketed supplements reportedly contain prohibited substances, contributing to 6–9% of the total doping offenses [6,7].”
BackgroundAnnual banned‐substance review: analytical approaches in human sports drug testing
Thevis, M., Kuuranne, T., Walpurgis, K., Geyer, H., & Schänzer, W. (2016) · Drug Testing and Analysis · doi:10.1002/dta.1928 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Nutritional supplement practices of professional Ugandan athletes: a cross-sectional study
Muwonge, H., Zavuga, R., Kabenge, P. A., & Makubuya, T. (2017) · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0198-3 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
“8% of the total doping offenses [7], most of them inadvertent.”
BackgroundBackhouse, S. H. (2023) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.1007/s40279-023-01933-x · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Use of nutritional supplements by elite Japanese track and field athletes
Tabata, S., Yamasawa, F., Torii, S., Manabe, T., Kamada, H., Namba, A., Kato, J., Kaneko, H., Tahara, K., Tsukahara, Y., et al. (2020) · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · doi:10.1186/s12970-020-00370-9 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Elite athletes, a rationale for the use of dietary supplements: A practical approach
Garthe, I., & Ramsbottom, R. (2020) · PharmaNutrition · doi:10.1016/j.phanu.2020.100234 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Trends in dietary supplement use among athletes selected for doping controls
Lauritzen, F., & Gjelstad, A. (2023) · Frontiers in Nutrition · doi:10.3389/fnut.2023.1143187 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
“When we see those findings in the context of the data presented here, it does not appear that the use of DS in itself is associated with a high risk of ADRVs caused by DS.”
InfluentialUse of nutritional supplements by Danish elite athletes and fitness customers
Solheim, S. A., Nordsborg, N. B., Ritz, C., van den Berget, J. C., Kristensen, A. H., & Mørkeberg, J. (2016) · Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports · doi:10.1111/sms.12704 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
“In accordance, 6–9% of doping cases in Australia, United Kingdom, and United States may be related to use of contaminated supplements (Outram & Stewart, 2015).”
BackgroundFavretto, D., Snenghi, R., Pértile, R., et al. (2018) · Drug Testing and Analysis · doi:10.1002/dta.2555 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Examining Coaches’ Experiences and Opinions of Anti-Doping Education
Patterson, L. B., Backhouse, S. H., & Lara-Bercial, S. (2019) · International Sport Coaching Journal · doi:10.1123/iscj.2018-0008 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Nutrition, supplementation and weight reduction in combat sports: a review
Januszko, P., & Lange, E. (2021) · AIMS Public Health · doi:10.3934/publichealth.2021038 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“The available data suggests that almost 10–15% of supplements may contain prohibited substances [66].”
BackgroundDevelopment of an Electronic Questionnaire to Assess Sports Nutrition Knowledge in Athletes
Tam, R., Beck, K. L., Gifford, J. A., Flood, V. M., & O'Connor, H. T. (2020) · Journal of the American College of Nutrition · doi:10.1080/07315724.2020.1723451 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Supplement Use and Behaviors of Athletes Affiliated With an Australian State-Based Sports Institute
Waller, M. C., Kerr, D. A., Binnie, M. J., Eaton, E. L., Wood, C., Stenvers, T., Gucciardi, D. F., Goodman, C., & Ducker, K. J. (2019) · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0336 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Doping substances in dietary supplements
Helle, C., Sommer, A. K., Syversen, P. V., & Lauritzen, F. (2019) · Tidsskrift for Den norske legeforening · doi:10.4045/tidsskr.18.0502 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Wardenaar, F. C., & Hoogervorst, D. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph191912477 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“, the number of doping violations with sanctions associated with supplements ranges up to 17% of total cases per year and has averaged around 9% of all doping cases annually since 2006 [25].”
BackgroundVariability of Stimulant Levels in Nine Sports Supplements Over a 9-Month Period
Attipoe, S., Cohen, P. A., Eichner, A., & Deuster, P. A. (2016) · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2015-0177 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Dietary Supplement Use According to Sex and Triad Risk Factors in Collegiate Endurance Runners
Barrack, M. T., Fredericson, M., Dizon, F., Tenforde, A. S., Kim, B., Kraus, E., Kussman, A. L., Singh, S., & Nattiv, A. (2020) · The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research · doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000003848 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
“Athletes may also be at risk of inadvertent doping due to contamination with banned or prohibited substances (5,7,32), as estimates from previous reports suggest that 6.”
ResultA Glimpse of the Sports Nutrition Awareness in Spanish Basketball Players
Escribano-Ott, I., Mielgo‐Ayuso, J., & Calleja-González, J. (2021) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu14010027 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
“To accurately apply these strategies, it is necessary for players to have sufficient knowledge that will allow them to optimize their performance and protect their health and enlarge their sporting careers [56].”
BackgroundPure Juice Supplementation: Its Effect on Muscle Recovery and Sports Performance
Daud, S. M. M., Sukri, N. M., Johari, M. H., Gnanou, J. V., & Manaf, F. A. (2023) · Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences · doi:10.21315/mjms2023.30.1.4 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Heller, S., Ulrich, R., Simon, P. D., & Dietz, P. (2020) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.561013 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Androgen Bioassay for the Detection of Nonlabeled Androgenic Compounds in Nutritional Supplements
Cooper, E. R., McGrath, K. C. Y., Li, X., & Heather, A. K. (2017) · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0018 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Ketheeswaran, S., Haahr, T., Povlsen, B. B., Laursen, R., Alsbjerg, B., Elbæk, H. O., Esteves, S. C., & Humaidan, P. (2018) · Asian Journal of Andrology · doi:10.4103/aja.aja_49_18 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Isenmann, E., Tolle, P., Geisler, S., Flenker, U., & Diel, P. R. (2024) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu16030374 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“A large number of studies have shown that despite the risk of contaminated supplements, which can lead to a positive doping test [12,13], athletes are not averse to consuming supplements regularly [14–21].”
BackgroundReflection on sports nutrition: Where we come from, where we are, and where we are headed
Juzwiak, C. R. (2016) · Revista de Nutrição · doi:10.1590/1678-98652016000300013 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Dietary supplements and elite athletes: when nature becomes high risk
Garthe, I. (2019) · Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research · doi:10.1016/j.coemr.2019.07.004 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Fifty shades of grey? On the concept of grey zones in elite cycling
Fincoeur, B., Henning, A., & Ohl, F. (2020) · Performance Enhancement & Health · doi:10.1016/j.peh.2020.100179 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Quality Control of Protein Supplements: A Review
da Costa, B. R. B., Roiffé, R. R., & de la Cruz, M. N. D. S. (2021) · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2020-0287 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Molero, Y., Gripenberg, J., & Bakshi, A.-S. (2016) · BMC Sports Science Medicine and Rehabilitation · doi:10.1186/s13102-016-0062-9 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Denham, B. E. (2017) · International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics · doi:10.1080/19406940.2017.1348963 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“…contain illicit ingredients (Eichner and Tygart 2016), and research reveals that supplements containing stimulants, anabolic steroids and other substances cause between 6.4% and 8.8% of positive drug tests in competitive sport (Outram and Stewart 2015, see also, Maughan 2005, Pipe and Ayotte 2002).”
BackgroundInfluentialThe role of nutrition in the recovery of a basketball player
Ott, I. E., & Santos, J. I. (2019) · Nutrición Hospitalaria · doi:10.20960/nh.02577 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Evaluation of Supplement Use in Sport Climbers at Different Climbing Levels
Chmielewska, A., & Regulska−Ilow, B. (2022) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu15010100 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“Different studies suggest that 10–25% of European and American dietary supplements pose a potential risk of doping [3], with more recent reports claiming it to be as high as 38% [10].”
BackgroundInfluentialSports supplements: use, knowledge, and risks for Algerian athletes
Chebaiki, I. J., Bekadi, A., & Bechikh, M. Y. (2020) · The North African Journal of Food and Nutrition Research · doi:10.51745/najfnr.4.7.231-239 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“Overall, the prevalence of supplement consumption ranges from approximately 29 to 100% [13-24].”
BackgroundMareck, U., Geyer, H., Schertel, T., Petring, S., Krug, O., & Thevis, M. (2021) · Drug Testing and Analysis · doi:10.1002/dta.3158 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Liokaftos, D. (2018) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.07.012 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Yasuda, J., Myoenzono, K., Takai, E., Toguchi, M., Tsunezumi, S., Kondo, C., Kaizaki, A., Ode, S., Ohno, H., Namma-Motonaga, K., et al. (2023) · Frontiers in Sports and Active Living · doi:10.3389/fspor.2023.1188224 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Analysis of Sports Supplement Consumption in 1688 Federated Road Cyclists
García-Durán, J., González-Jurado, J. A., & Sánchez-Oliver, A. J. (2023) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu16010123 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“In addition, competitive athletes should also be concerned about overuse and possible adverse interactions due to polypharmacy [53] and inadvertent doping due to inadequate quality control of some dietary supplements such as those in Group C [54].”
BackgroundAn Overview on Tribulus terrestris in Sports Nutrition and Energy Regulation
Pokrywka, A., Morawin, B., Krzywański, J., & Zembroń-Łacny, A. (2017) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-805413-0.00009-0 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Sports Nutrition and Performance
Arcusa, R., Rentero, M. P. Z., & Hernández, J. M. (2019) · IntechOpen eBooks · doi:10.5772/intechopen.84467 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Wardenaar, F. C., Schott, K. D., Seltzer, R. G. N., & Gardner, C. D. (2024) · Frontiers in Nutrition · doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1381731 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
FATORES ASSOCIADOS AO USO DE SUPLEMENTOS ALIMENTARES ENTRE ATLETAS: REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA
Nabuco, H. C. G., Rodrigues, V. B., & Coelho‐Ravagnani, C. D. F. (2016) · Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte · doi:10.1590/1517-869220162205154808 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Kabiri, S., Willits, D. W., & Shadmanfaat, S. M. (2019) · Journal of Drug Issues · doi:10.1177/0022042619839935 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Assessing the need to use sport supplements: The mediating role of sports supplement beliefs
Murofushi, Y., Kawata, Y., Nakamura, M., Yamaguchi, S., Sunamoto, S., Fukamachi, H., Aono, H., Kamihigashi, E., Takazawa, Y., Naıto, H., et al. (2023) · Performance Enhancement & Health · doi:10.1016/j.peh.2023.100269 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Puya-Braza, J. M., & Sánchez-Oliver, A. J. (2018) · Retos · doi:10.47197/retos.v0i34.65027 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“…Sospedra, Mañas-Ortiz, Baladía, Gil-Izquierdo & Ortiz-Moncada, 2017; García-Cortés, Robles-Díaz, Ortega-Alonso, Medina-Caliz & Andrade, 2016; Outram & Stewart, 2015; Malik & Malik, 2010; Geyer, Parr, Koehler, Mareck, Schänzer & Thevis, 2008; Geyer, Parr, Mareck, Reinhart, Schrader &…”
Comparison of GC–MS and MEKC methods for caffeine determination in preworkout supplements
Waraksa, E., Pokrywka, A., Konop, M., Namieśnik, J., & Kłodzińska, E. (2019) · Electrophoresis · doi:10.1002/elps.201800512 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Daher, J., Mountjoy, M. L., & Khoury, D. T. D. E. (2025) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu17030557 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“Athletes are a major part of dietary supplement users [13–15], which increases the concern of dietary supplement misuse, resulting in adverse health outcomes or in unintentional doping in this population.”
Carlsohn, A., & Steinhorst, L. (2018) · Sportverletzung · Sportschaden · doi:10.1055/a-0753-7694 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“6 – 9% der Dopingfälle auf die Einnahme von NEM zurückzuführen [41].”
Suplementos alimentares: uma fonte de doping não intencional?
da Costa, B. R. B., de la Cruz, M. N. D. S., Roiffé, R. R., & Padilha, M. C. (2021) · Brazilian journal of food technology/Brazilian Journal of Food Technology · doi:10.1590/1981-6723.25619 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Kratzenstein, S., Carlsohn, A., Heydenreich, J., & Mayer, F. (2016) · German Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.5960/dzsm.2015.203 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Seven Points for Athletes to Consider Before Using a Dietary Supplement
Cadwallader, A. B. (2022) · The AMA Journal of Ethic · doi:10.1001/amajethics.2022.443 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Navigating the Risks Beyond the Label: Unpacking Global Nutritional Supplement Safety
Wardenaar, F. C., Burns, S. F., de Campos, M. V. S., Chan, Y., Claassen-Smithers, A., Dunshea-Mooij, C. A. E., Haddou, S. E., Hoogervorst, D., Jagim, A. R., Garcia, P. R., et al. (2025) · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2025-0177 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Miroshnikov, A. B., Rybakova, P. D., & Meshtel, A. V. (2023) · Medical alphabet · doi:10.33667/2078-5631-2023-29-41-47 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Christensen, S., Gjelstad, A., Björnsdóttir, I., & Lauritzen, F. (2024) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu16162667 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“However, the fact that data saturation was met after five interviews, and that the athletes ´ experiences and attitudes agreed well across the interviews, suggests that the findings presented here are applicable to elite ice hockey players in Norway in general.”
BackgroundMARQUES, J. N. A. D. V., & Capela, J. P. (2022) · Revista de Nutrição · doi:10.1590/1678-9865202235e200148 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Sports Supplement Consumption in 316 Federated Female Road Cyclists
García-Durán, J., González-Jurado, J. A., & Sánchez-Oliver, A. (2024) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu16152563 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“Competitive athletes should be cautious of overuse and potential negative interactions from combining multiple supplements [44], as well as the risk of inadvertent doping due to insufficient quality control in some Group C supplements [45].”
BackgroundSchott, K. D., Bhalla, A., Armstrong, E., et al. (2025) · Frontiers in Nutrition · doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1519544 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Pritchett, K. L., & Moore, A. (2018) · ACSMʼs Health & Fitness Journal · doi:10.1249/fit.0000000000000420 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“In 2017, the supplement industry was estimated to be worth 30 billion dollars in the United States, with 40% to 70% of athletes using some type of supplement in an effort to gain a competitive advantage (1).”
BackgroundAcne in patients actively involved in sports: features of medical care
Руслановна, С. Л., Львович, П. А., & Korsunskaya, I. M. (2021) · Russian Journal of Clinical Dermatology and Venereology · doi:10.17116/klinderma20212002182 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Dissemond, J., Havers, T., Held, S., Geisler, S., Kostov, T., Diel, P., Türschmann, S., Parr, M. K., & Isenmann, E. (2025) · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · doi:10.1080/15502783.2025.2540408 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
“It is estimated that 6.4–8.8% of positive doping cases can be attributed to the use of contaminated dietary supplements [31–33].”
InfluentialDecoding unintentional doping: A complex systems analysis of supplement use in sport
McLean, S. G., Morrison, M., Naughton, M. R., & Salmon, P. M. (2024) · Performance Enhancement & Health · doi:10.1016/j.peh.2024.100317 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
“Estimates suggest 6 – 9 % of reported doping cases identified between 2006 and 2013 in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, are due to athletes consuming supplements which contain prohibited substances (Outram & Stewart, 2015).”
Chan, D. K. C., Yip, L. M. H., Tang, T. C. W., Yung, P. S., Gucciardi, D. F., & Hagger, M. S. (2025) · Journal of science and medicine in sport · doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2025.04.009 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Mandu, W. A., Kiplamai, F., Mwisukha, A., & Waiganjo, L. B. (2023) · Journal of Advances in Sports and Physical Education · doi:10.36348/jaspe.2023.v06i04.003 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“According to Outram and Stewart (2015), between 10- 15% of supplements may contain prohibited substances, hence a considerable risk of accidental or inadvertent doping through using supplements.”
BackgroundMolani‐Gol, R., Rafraf, M., & Alipour, B. (2025) · Central European Journal of Public Health · doi:10.21101/cejph.a8321 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Jeannou, B., Feuvrier, F., Peyre-Costa, D., & Griffiths, K. (2022) · Science & Sports · doi:10.1016/j.scispo.2021.05.011 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Doping in Sports: Athletes’ and Coaches’ Views
Özbek, O., & DOĞANER, S. (2019) · International Journal of Sport Exercise & Training Sciences · doi:10.18826/useeabd.605331 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“In a study by Outram and Stewart (2015), a statistical analysis of nutritional support and doping use by athletes was conducted in which some athletes were considered to be inadvertently doping due to the ingredients in the nutritional supplement they used.”
BackgroundKolb, A. M., Pease, M., Sacks, D. W., et al. (2023) · American Economic Journal Microeconomics · doi:10.1257/mic.20210182 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
The use of bioassays to detect designer androgens in sports supplements
Cooper, E. R. (2016) · UTS ePRESS (University of Technology Sydney) · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Dietary Supplements: Ethical Issues
Pilchman, D., & Howard, C. (2019) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-024-1179-9_570 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Development of a sports nutrition knowledge questionnaire for Sri Lankan athletesPreprint
Jayawardena, R., Weerasinghe, K., Trakman, G., Madhujith, T., Hills, A. P., & Kalupahana, N. S. (2023) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-3136367/v1 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
WITHDRAWN: WADA’s Prohibited List from the perspective of elite athletes
Overbye, M. (2020) · Performance Enhancement & Health · doi:10.1016/j.peh.2020.100165
RetractedConsumo de suplementos alimentares por desportistas: revisão sistemática da literatura
Fonte, C., Pereira, A. J. B. C., & Fernandes, A. (2021) · RevSALUS - Revista Científica da Rede Académica das Ciências da Saúde da Lusofonia · doi:10.51126/revsalus.v2i2.62
“Deve-se considerar que 10 a 15% dos suplementos podem conter substâncias proibidas e apresentam considerável risco de doping acidental ou involuntário (Outram & Stewart, 2015).”
BackgroundSkaria, A. A., & Cardone, D. A. (2021) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-64316-4_7
Dietary Supplements: Ethical Issues
Pilchman, D., & Howard, C. (2016) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-6167-4_570-1
Blind DisclosurePreprint
Kolb, A. M., Pease, M., Sacks, D. W., et al. (2021) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.3765529
Probiotics in sports and physical exercise
Severo, J. S., da Silva, A. C. A., Pereira, I. C., Torres‐Leal, F. L., & da Silva, M. T. B. (2022) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-89908-6.00023-6
Kosttilskudd - Dopingfelle eller en nødvendig del av treningen?
Lauritzen, F., Dale, C. B., Bråthen, I., & Gjelstad, A. (2020) · Norsk tidsskrift for ernæring · doi:10.18261/ntfe.18.3.5
Self-Declared and Measured Prevalence of Glucocorticoid Use in Polish Athletes
Pokrywka, A., Berezovska, D., Lewandowska‐Pachecka, S., Krzywański, J., Rynkowski, M. A., Wicka, M., Kwiatkowska, D., & Faiss, R. (2023) · Separations · doi:10.3390/separations10030204 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Survey of the Awareness and Knowledge of Anti-Doping among Elite and General Triathlon Athletes
Inai, Y., Kasanami, R., Moriya, N., et al. (2023) · International journal of human movement and sports sciences · doi:10.13189/saj.2023.110410
Mendes, R. R., & Prado, J. R. S. (2023) · Revista Brasileira de Fisiologia do Exercício · doi:10.33233/rbfex.v22i1.5468
“Para aqueles atletas que de fato necessitem da suplementação alimentar para alcançar efeitos ergogênicos específicos e/ou para manter estado nutricional adequado e, consequentemente, prevenir desfechos negativos decorrentes de má nutrição, como síndrome de overtraining e deficiência de energia relativa no esporte (RED…”
BackgroundIsenmann, E., & Dissemond, J. (2025) · B&G Bewegungstherapie und Gesundheitssport · doi:10.1055/a-2565-6305
Unintentional doping: What do athletes know about it?
Kubica, M., Domagalska, J., Górski, M. K., & Buczkowska, M. (2025) · Polish Annals of Medicine · doi:10.29089/paom/197438
Evolution of the Australian Institute of Sport Supplement Program over the last 25 Years
Burke, L. M., Cox, G. R., Desbrow, B., Minehan, M., Morabito, A., Shaw, G., & Slater, G. (2026) · International Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1055/a-2891-6315 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Soni, A., Dixit, A., & Pandey, A. (2026) · Forensic Chemistry · doi:10.1016/j.forc.2026.100767
Potential Health Risks Associated with Sports Supplementation Use in Athletes
Cai, J., Wang, T., & Li, S. (2026) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu18152490
“Consequently, they may face serious sanctions, including periods of ineligibility from competition [190,191].”
Mancin, L., Close, G. L., Jeukendrup, A. E., Freschi, M., Pugh, J. N., Sala, M., Baioccato, V., Vecchiato, M., D’Antona, G., & Palermi, S. (2026) · Translational Sports Medicine · doi:10.1155/tsm2/5919439
Mahankar, N., & Pandey, A. (2026) · Microchemical Journal · doi:10.1016/j.microc.2026.119617
- Authors
- Outram, S., & Stewart, B.
- Affiliations
- Victoria University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Outram, Simon
- ORCID
- Outram, Simon
- Venue
- International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism
- Publisher
- Human Kinetics
- Published
- 2015-02
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 54-59
- ISSN
- 1526-484X (ISSN-L)
- 1543-2742
- OpenAlex
- W2114251728
- Cited by
- 100
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 29.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Victoria University Research Repository (Victoria University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Doping in Sports
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Pharmacological Effects and Assays
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Pharmaceutical Quality and Counterfeiting
- Keywords
- dietary supplements, doping, prohibited substances, supplement contamination, sports nutrition, athletes
- MeSH terms
- Doping in Sports, Food Contamination, Humans, International Agencies, Databases, Factual, Guidelines as Topic, Dietary Supplements, Internet, Athletes, Sports Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
