Consumption of Stimulating Agents in Sport

Elvira Nikšić, Amel Mekić, Erol Kovačević, Sanel Čičić, Erol Vrević, Edin Beganović

Nutrition is an extremely important factor for every person, especially those involved in sports. Food provides the energy necessary for growth, physical activity, and other bodily functions. Modern sport increasingly includes the use of dietary supplements, which help athletes prepare for competitions and improve sports performance.

The aim of this research was to examine and determine the level of knowledge and attitudes of people from different spheres of society regarding the consumption of stimulants in sports. The sample consisted of 1,050 respondents from various social groups. Data were collected through an online survey questionnaire and processed using descriptive statistical methods.

Among the respondents, 49.8% were engaged in recreational sports, while 25.8% were active athletes and 24.4% did not participate in sports. More than half of the respondents (56.2%) believed that stimulants are necessary only in professional sports, whereas 22.7% considered them necessary in modern sports in general and 21.1% believed they are not necessary.

The most commonly consumed supplements were proteins (43.3%), followed by minerals (32.6%), vitamins (28.7%), amino acids (28.5%), and herbal preparations (6.8%). Daily supplement use was reported by 25.2% of respondents, while 36.9% did not consume supplements at all.

The primary sources of information regarding stimulants and supplements were nutritionists (27.3%), pharmacists (25.5%), doctors (21.6%), trainers (21.3%), and the media (18.3%). A significant proportion of respondents (45.4%) believed that the use of stimulants is necessary to achieve desired sports results, while 38.8% believed stimulants are not necessary in sports.

The findings suggest that knowledge and attitudes about stimulants among the general population are relatively limited, whereas athletes tend to be better informed. The growing use of dietary supplements indicates that people involved in sports possess at least some awareness of substances that may influence sports performance.