Dietary Supplement Use in Sport Gyms in Lebanon: Are They Necessary and are There Side-Effects?

Background The use of dietary supplements is very common in sport gyms worldwide. However, their use in exercisers in Lebanese gyms has never been investigated. Objectives The study aim was to evaluate the dietary intake of food macronutrients and to explore any side-effects associated with this kind of consumption. Patients and Methods Three hundred and sixty exercisers aged 20 - 50 years were randomly selected for participation in this cross-sectional study. The majority were men (60%) aged 20 - 30 years (78%). Results The intake of dietary supplements was observed in 38% of the study participants, with the highest prevalence in men (73%). It was also found that daily protein intake exceeded dietary needs in 92% of the participants, while daily fat intake was less than that required in 76% of them. It was noteworthy that 63% of supplement users in this study reported having experienced between one and several side-effects. Conclusions These results indicate a lack of awareness among people who exercise regularly on the benefits and side-effects of dietary supplements. There is an urgent need for the implementation of campaigns that target gym users in Lebanon to raise awareness in this regard.