Examining The Impact of Dietary Supplements on Health Behavior of Athletes

Objectives: The athletes of all age groups explore the use of complementary and alternative therapies including dietary supplements. This study aimed to investigate the impact of dietary supplements in terms of their form and usage on health behaviors of athletes in China. Methods: In order to understand their ideas, the literature on dietary supplements and usability diagnosis theory were analyzed. Two supplement forms: single-ingredient vs. multi-ingredient, and two usage modes, low vs. high factorial design were used in two experiments to test the hypotheses. Results: The study found that low multi-ingredient supplement usage is more advantageous than a high single ingredient supplement usage. Under high usage, the effectiveness of a supplement is not significantly influenced by its form, rendering single-ingredient and multi-ingredient supplements equivalent. It was also found that dietary supplements are not subject to the same regulatory requirements as prescription medications. Typically, athletes make assumptions about the effectiveness of supplements based on personal perceptions rather than objective information. This could potentially expose athletes to hazardous situations. Conclusion: This study has significant ramifications for public policy and the marketing of supplements, therefore empowering athletes to make well-informed choices regarding the acquisition of dietary supplements. Previous research has offered only a limited understanding of how athletes respond to dietary supplement forms as well as their usage levels.