Analysis of the Consumption of Sports Supplements in Open Water Swimmers According to the Competitive Level

Background: Sports supplements (SS) are widely consumed by many types of athletes to improve their performance. These SS are classified according to their level of scientific evidence, by the ABCD system from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). In open water swimming, their use may be necessary due to the physiological challenges posed by this sport discipline. However, there is currently little literature on the use of SS in open water swimmers. The aim of this work is to analyze the pattern of consumption of SS by open water swimmers, by studying the differences according to the competitive level (regional vs. national). Methods: Descriptive and cross-sectional study on the consumption and use of SS by federated open water swimmers in Spain in the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 seasons. The data were collected through a validated questionnaire. Results: 79.5% of the participants consumed SS, with significant differences according to their level, being higher in athletes at the national level. The most-consumed SS by the swimmers studied were sports drinks, energy bars, caffeine, vitamin C, and vitamin D. Conclusions: It was observed that the consumption of SS in open water swimmers was high, and of the five most-consumed SS, four of them belonged to the category of greatest scientific evidence.

Automated summary

This study analyzed the consumption pattern of sports supplements (SS) by open water swimmers and compared the differences according to their competitive level. The results showed that 79.5% of the participants consumed SS, with a higher proportion among national-level athletes. The most commonly consumed supplements included sports drinks, energy bars, caffeine, vitamin C, and vitamin D.