Evaluation of Supplement Use in Sport Climbers at Different Climbing Levels

Abstract

The lack of specific recommendations on the use of supplements for sport climbers may be the reason for their misuse by athletes of this discipline. This study aimed to evaluate choices of dietary supplementation, the reasons for taking them, and the source of information on supplementation among sport climbers at different levels. In addition, how climbers subjectively evaluated the impact of their diets in supporting selected aspects of climbing training was evaluated. We enrolled 110 regular sport climbers (40 women and 70 men) from Wroclaw, Poland, who completed a validated questionnaire, assessing their use of dietary supplements, attitudes towards the influence of diet on sports performance, and climbing level. Their anthropometric measurements were also collected. Participants regarded diet as an important element of sports performance. Sport climbers indicated the Internet to be the main source of information on supplements. Health maintenance and improvement of recovery were the most frequently chosen reasons for taking dietary supplements. The most common supplements were isolated protein, vitamin C, vitamin D, magnesium, and amino acid blends. However, participants rarely used supplements suggested as beneficial for sport climbing performance. Therefore, developing recommendations for supplementation in sport climbing and promoting this should be an elementary part of the preparation for climbing training.