Refined Analysis of a Cross-Sectional Doping Survey Among Recreational Triathletes: Support for the Nutritional Supplement Gateway Hypothesis In recent years, there was an increasing number of studies that dietary supplements could be the entry into doping. The current literature does not provide consensus that dietary supplements can display the entry into doping.In particular, studies of recreational awarders are missing. In an earlier empirical cross-sectional study, this research group first evidence provided that the use of dietary supplements can be introduced to the use of doping substances in recreational triathlets. For the present work, the investigators refine the analysis of the triathletal survey to provide evidence of a ‘gateway hypothesis’ for dietary supplements for recreational awards. A questionnaire with paper and pencil was distributed to a sample of 2'997 ironic and half-iron man triathlets.The randomized response technique was used to evaluate the 12-month prevalence estimate for the use of doping substances. The prevalence for the use of nutritional supplements was analyzed by direct survey.Tests were carried out to determine whether the estimated prevalence for the use of doping substances between users and non-user supplements of nutritional supplements differs significantly. The 12-month prevalence estimate for the use of doping substances is significantly higher for athletes reporting on the use of dietary supplements (20.6%) than in athletes that do not do this (11.4%).
The present results agree with the hypothesis that the use of nutritional supplements is an introduction to the use of doping substances.Therefore, doping prevention concepts should not focus primarily on preventing the use of doping substances on themselves, but begin a step sooner, namely by the use of nutritional supplements. The whole study can be found under https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fucksyg.2020.561013/full