NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS AND THEIR USE WEIGHTS AMONGST THE AMATEUR BODYBUILDERS
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Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov
Series IX: Sciences of Human Kinetics • Vol. 14(63) No. 1 – 2021
https://doi.org/10.31926/but.shk.2021.14.63.1.28
NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS AND THEIR USE
WEIGHTS AMONGST THE AMATEUR
BODYBUILDERS
Gabriel Stănică LUPU 1
Abstract: In bodybuilding, the physical training takes different aspects, in
particular the relationship with a specific diet and a substantial contribution
of nutritional supplements. The diet for amateur bodybuilders is usually
poor, having a negative impact in achieving sportive performance, because
the muscle strengthening is closely bounded to vitamins, proteins, carbs,
minerals, etc. In this study we have tested the hypothesis according to which
in bodybuilding, achieving a good physique and sportive performance is not
possible without nutritional supplementation.
The study revealed that the athletes manifest a great interest into diet,
corroborated with a protein supplementation in different concentrations.
Key words: performance; nutritional supplements; bodybuilding; doping;
training;
1. Introduction people deploying sedentary activities
discover, to their satisfaction, that by
Bodybuilding, as body shaping physical training with weights they can increase
activity, as close to what it currently their working capacity [12]. Bodybuilding
represents in the sports system, is the training can be practiced by anyone,
result of the evolution of the human anywhere (at home, in specially arranged
society, and, in particular, it appeared bodybuilding clubs), and with simple
from the structure of the professions, means.
which are more and more static [1]. There is also the perception (and there
Longing to be healthy and tonic is innate is no doubt about it here, especially when
in every human being. Lifting weights in it comes to professional bodybuilding)
the daily gymnastics is an acknowledged that you can't achieve performance
means, that ensures health and without the help of steroids, which are
harmonious muscle development [8]. The banned at the Olympics and is contrary to
1
University „Vasile Alecsandri” in Bacău, Faculty of Movement, Health and Sports Sciences, Department of
Kinesitherapy and Occupational Therapy, *E-mail: gabi.lupu@ub.ro218 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov. Series IX • Vol. 14(63) No. 1 – 2021 the Olympic spirit [9]. overcompensation the body’s energy The fitness bodybuilding industry is reserves [5]. increasingly developing, there are gyms Training’s contents require to have an providing full services for body training, adequate diet [7], both to sustain the cardio and strengthening equipment, effort and to enable appropriate recovery nutritional supplements, entertainment following effort. Physical efficiency is options, their goal being to meet as directly related to the energy released by closely as possible the needs of the food, which is the underlayer of the practitioners looking for an environment body’s energy potential [11]. as pleasant as possible in terms of space Conducted between October 2019 and and provided services [10]. March 2020, our study aims to validate Bodybuilding practitioner’s weights the hypothesis according to which it is lifting training is not dangerous but, on impossible to attain sports performance in the contrary, it strengthens the health and bodybuilding without supplementing daily it may be done by anyone who does not food intake with nutritional supplements, suffer from serious organic disorders. The both by professional athletes, who muscle speed and coordination of those participate in the competitions, and by „de trained with weights are higher than of loisir” practitioners, such supplementing those not trained with weights [4]. being a frequent practice in bodybuilding Athletes hold multiple knowledge about clubs to enhance performance. the theory of sports training as well as about nutrition, medication and even 2. Material and Methods doping, although their diet is many times deficient, due to lack of time or financial The subjects of the study were 104 resources, which has a negative impact on practitioners of fitness bodybuilding. The achieving sports performance [6], for subjects practiced or practice fitness or muscle hypertrophy, strength and muscle bodybuilding activities in 6 locations. defining are closely related to vitamins, There were surveys and discussions had proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, etc. with the individuals directly involved in Nutritional supplements are conditioned the sports activities deployed there. preparations in the form of pills, capsules, The research methods were the Method gumdrops, powder or liquid, which of documentation, the Method of contain nutrients (macronutrients and observation, the Sociological inquiry – the micronutrients) and/or other edible survey. agents, that are consumed in well-defined In the current study, the survey was quantities, additionally to the usual food designed to ask the subjects’ opinion from intake [3]. various points of view. Effort supporters are natural or synthetic physiological compounds, that interfere with energy-release reactions in SURVEY the athletes’ body [2]. They are a specific regarding the role and intake of group of natural or synthetic physiological nutritional supplements in the sports diet products, that usually act to compensate the metabolism, by replenishing up to
G.S. LUPU: Nutritional Supplements and their Use Weights amongst the Amateur Bodybuilders219
1. Are you a legitimate athlete or do you ☐ I don’t think they help
practice bodybuilding as a hobby? 10. How much money do you spend in a
☐Athlete month to buy these products?
☐Hobby ☐ less than 100 lei
2. Do you use nutritional supplements in ☐ between 100 and 200 lei
your diet? ☐ between 200 and 300 lei
☐ Yes ☐ more than 300 lei
☐ No 11. Are you able to ensure your daily
3. If yes, how many times calories requirement without these
☐ Once nutritional supplements?
☐ Twice ☐ Yes
☐ 3 times ☐ No
4. What type of supplements do you use? 12. How well informed are you about
☐ Solid (bars) doping substances (and their impact on
☐ Liquid the body)
☐ Powder ☒ Very well ☐ Well ☐ Satisfactory
☐ Pills ☐ At all
5. What mix of supplements do you use? 13. Have you ever taken doping
☐Amino acids substances in your sports activity?
☐Protein ☐ Yes ☐ No
☐Based on carbs
The discussions with the subjects under
☐Mixed
study (trainers and managers of the
6. Do you use fat burners?
companies or clubs where the athletes
☐ Occasionally
were working), as well as with other
☐ In the period before competition specialists, took place before the actual
☐ Weekly / monthly implementation of the survey, being
7. In your opinion, nutritional necessary to ground our scientific
supplements are harmful to your body? endeavour.
☐ Yes We hereby specify that the number of
☐ No surveys performed was varied, depending
☐ I don’t know on the number of subscribers to the clubs.
8. How well informed are you in terms of The surveys were filled-in within 5 to 8
origin, ingredients and effects of the minutes, and the answers only asked for
supplements you use? those aspects referring to motivation in
☐ Very well sports activity or to improvement of the
☐ Well conditions in the clubs in the field.
☐ At all
9. In what extent do you consider that 3. Results and Discussions
supplements help you to achieve your
training goal The answers collected from the
respondents have been centralised as
☐ to a large extent
tables and plots, for a better view of the
☐ to a small extent220 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov. Series IX • Vol. 14(63) No. 1 – 2021
aspects under study. because they understand their
scientifically proven role and therefore,
Are you a legitimated athlete or are you they respect the instructions of the
practicing bodybuilding as a hobby? manufacturers of those supplements,
well, the other practitioners, for some
reason, they approach this
1
supplementation as something optional,
10.58% 89.42%
without having a strict discipline.
If yes, how often?
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 35
31
Legitimated athlete Hobby
30
25
Fig. 1. Weight of answers to question no. 1
20
Out of total 104 respondents, 11 are 15
legitimate athletes in the specialized clubs 10
6
7
5
8
6
in Bacau (approx. 10,6%) and race in 5
2 2
national competitions, and 93 are amateur 0
Before and after the After training only Before training At least once, in
practitioners (of passion, hobby) of this training exercise-free days of
week
discipline (approx. 89,4%). Athletes Amateurs
In case of question no. 2, it is obvious
Fig. 3. Weight of answers to question no. 3
the confidence that athletes put in the use
of these nutritional supplements and we
Considering the training in the gyms, as
understand that, at list in their view, the
far as we observed in almost every club
supplements are essential to obtain sports
where we have initiated this survey, many
performance.
focus on powder protein supplements,
either due to taste or to faster absorption
Do you use nutritional supplemements in
your diet?
in the body or because of their
instantaneous preparation and, not lastly,
due to their better price, which explains
Amateurs 54.84% 45.16% the percentage obtained.
What type of supplements do you use?
5
Athletes 9.09% 90.91%
37
Amateurs
11
7
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
No Yes
6
8
Athletes
Fig. 2. Weight of answers to question no. 2 3
1
As far as question no. 3 is concerned, we 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Pills Powder Liquid Solid (bars)
may highlight that, while athletes stick to
their caloric intake as a daily ritual, Fig. 4. Weight of answers to question no. 4G.S. LUPU: Nutritional Supplements and their Use Weights amongst the Amateur Bodybuilders221
In case of question no. 5 there is a question no. 6, because fat burners are
variety of options, the proteins being used in the competition period by
mainly used, and this is explained by the legitimate athletes to gain pronounced
fact that most literature sources consider muscle definition by draining the water
proteins as „the bricks of muscle mass”. under the tissue, and, in case of amateurs,
most often women, the wish to obtain
What mix of supplements do you use? remarkable and fast results was noticed.
45
40
Question no. 7 helps clear up a myth,
40
that forbidden substances are used in
35
30
bodybuilding; hence, the interviewed
25
athletes have answered almost
20
21
19 unanimously (9/10) that nutritional
15 supplements do not harm the body, but,
10 9
8 on the contrary, they use the supplements
6
5
2
3 very strictly, and during our discussions
0
Athletes Amateurs
they have insisted on clear distinction
Amino acids Protein Based on carbs Mixed between substances authorized by the
Ministry of Health and the doping
Fig. 4. Weight of answers to question no. 5 substances, that they do not embrace.
Those who have extensively chosen In your opinion, are nutritional supplements harmful
mixed supplements, justified their choice to your body?
by their goals, meaning to gain weight and
muscle hypertrophy. 21 respondents have
Amateurs 30.23% 13.95% 55.81%
chosen carbs as main source of caloric
intake, for it is known that carbs trigger an
„explosion” of muscle mass and strength,
even if the „quality” of the muscle mass is Athletes0.00% 90.00% 10.00%
obstructed by the fat tissue.
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Do you use fat burners?
Yes No Don't know
25
20
Fig. 6. Weight of answers to question no. 7
15
At the same time, a high number of
amateur practitioners have expressed
10
their opinion that these supplements do
5 harm the health, although, for not making
the scope of the current study, we were
0
Athletes Amateurs
unable to find out their reasoning; many
Occasionally In the period before competition Weekly / monthly said that they do not have information
about the potential effects or not, but
Fig. 5. Weight of answers to question no. 6 they do embrace the idea of using them
because they are certain that the
The answers were sort of anticipated to supplements are checked and authorized222 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov. Series IX • Vol. 14(63) No. 1 – 2021
by competent bodies in this case. such supplements exist independently of
Considering that, in general, the their training period (competition or
consumers of such products and this before competition), while amateurs do
sports branch have minimum information not make a religion from buying those
about the brands in the field, most of supplements but they neither give up on
them order online the products they like them, many considering that „maybe
from various brands or they consume in supplements are not good for me, but for
the club lobby strictly after training sure they are not bad for me”.
various products available. It is certain Considering that there is no statute of
that the consumer is less interested in the professional in this sports, it results that
origin and more interested in the quality athletes have the most diverse jobs, with
(colour, taste) and main ingredient. regular working hours, with families and
related obligations, with varied incomes
In what extent do you consider that supplements help and, therefore, many times they make
you to achieve your training goal?
financial and time sacrifices. The answers
obtained entitle us to claim that they are
Amateurs 39.53% 27.91% 32.56%
not able to ensure their caloric
requirement only from their daily diet,
either due to work of the day, or to other
time-consuming obligations. Depending
Athletes 90.00% 10.00% on weight, training level and training
difficulty, an average bodybuilder needs
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
approx. 3-4k calories per day, which
to a large extent to a small extent I don’t think they help means 4 to 6 meals per day, that require
time to purchase, prepare, etc. From this
Fig. 7. Weight of answers to question no. 9 it results the need of the support of such
supplements.
If the proportion of legitimate athletes
who believe that nutritional supplements How well informed are you about doping substances
help them reach their goals is (and their impact on the body)?
overwhelming (90%), expressing their
confidence in the effects of the
Amateurs 48.84% 39.53% 11.63%
consumption of supplements, in the case
of amateur practitioners the opinions are
split almost equally between sceptical and
fully confident. Athletes 20.00% 70.00% 10.00%
We may somehow interpret the results
in conjunction with the confidence the
users have in supplements. Therefore, 0% 10% 20% 30%
Very well
40%
Well
50% 60%
Satisfactory
70%
At all
80% 90% 100%
performance athletes highly rely on a
balanced diet and sufficient caloric intake, Fig. 8. Weight of answers to question no.
meaning support of minerals, vitamins and 12.
other nutritional substances, and they
invest relatively significant amounts in this Centralized answers confirm that, in
considering an average income, because general, individuals are aware of theG.S. LUPU: Nutritional Supplements and their Use Weights amongst the Amateur Bodybuilders223
effects of the doping agents on the body, competitions, and in case of „de loisir”
in particular of the negative ones, fact practitioners, such practice being frequent
revealed by the percentage of almost 50% in the clubs in the field to increase
amateurs and 70% legitimate (fig. no. 9), performance, comes true [11]. We claim
although a sufficiently high number of „for the most part” because our current
amateurs are not aware at all of the endeavour would have been complete if
doping agents’ effect on the body, case we would have also considered a lot of
that does not exist with legitimate athletes that we monitor both before and
athletes. It is true that information about after the competition period, in order to
those types of substances require often prove undoubtedly the position impact of
medical, pharmaceutical, biochemical nutritional supplements on performance.
knowledge, which is not available to The most important conclusions to be
parties not interested in. Instead, a drawn from this study are:
concern for minimum information was 1. Fitness / bodybuilding athletes,
observed, for general knowledge level or, legitimate or not, pay high attention to
on the contrary, as a concern in case it food intake, corroborated with protein
could be used. supplements in various concentrations
Centralized answers do not surprise us and doses.
somehow due to, in bodybuilding, as in 2. An interesting fact is that a very high
many other sports there is a real tendency number of interviewed individuals are
to obtain results at any risk, in whatever fully aware when they procure, consume
form; appreciating that the answers were and take those supplements.
honest, we consider that those 40% who 3. It is also very important, and this was
used them at least once is alarming, and also one of our goals, to separate products
this might be a deeper theme of study; agreed by the relevant bodies in the field
while 28% of the amateurs already tried (ministries, agencies with competence in
those substances, we may assert that such people’s health, etc.) from doping
substances were occasionally consumed by substances, and, therefore, to clear out
them, out of interest or for eager to achieve the myth that vilifies this sports branch, a
immediate goals in the shortest time. myth according to which all bodybuilders
Anyway, 72% is a high percentage, which are doped.
expresses the refusal of many of those who 4. Perhaps if those supplements would
embraced this activity to obtain results in cost less, the number of consumers and,
whatever form and at any risk. therefore, the performance, would rise. It
is obvious that in this world, athletes,
4. Conclusions amateurs and professionals, have used /
continue to use those supplements which,
Following centralized data, we may after all, do not have negative effects, at
claim that for the most part, the least that was revealed in the discussions
hypothesis according to which it is we had.
impossible to obtain sports performance As proposals, following the study, we
in bodybuilding without adding nutritional appreciate that the clubs in the field could
supplements to daily intake [13], both in and must provide to interested
case of legitimate athletes who race in individuals’ quality products that are224 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov. Series IX • Vol. 14(63) No. 1 – 2021
authorized by the relevant bodies and, builder athletes. In: Journal of
more than that, they should guide the research in medical sciences: the
athletes with the help of the trainers and official journal of Isfahan University of
physicians (in the case of clubs), in such Medical Sciences, Vol. 16, no. 10,
way that athletes consume supplements 2011, p.1347-1353.
closely related to their goals. 7. Knapik, J.J., Steelman, R.A.,
Hoedebecke, S.S., et al.: Prevalence of
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