The “Do’s and Dont's" of Supplements in Rugby

In keeping with our motto of "Rugby is not just a game, it's a way of life..." we promised in our previous article dated Sunday 6 January 2013 that we would explore the many facets that involves the life of a rugby player! Today we are going to look at the debate surrounding supplements in our game we love. We have included as always the views of professionals in this case Shelly Meltzer RD (SA) that heads the Dietetic Practice associated with the Sports Science Institute of South Africa. We have used excerpts from her document entitled “Do’s and Don’ts of supplements in Rugby” to provide all players a foundation for information when making the decision to supplement their diets or not and what, if any, risks they could be exposed to…

By Shelly Meltzer and Cecily Fuller

Sports Science Institute SA

“Although there are thousands of supplements available, there are only a few that offer either practical or physiological benefits to rugby players. Before these can be used safely and effectively there are several factors which have to be considered. The first challenge is to identify the product(s) that may offer these advantages, as there is often a big gap between the suggested claims and product features compared to the proven benefits, dosages and applications. The second challenge is to understand

players’ specific needs and their individual responses, as this varies from player to player. The third challenge is to understand why players believe supplements will assist their specific needs. A fourth challenge is the concern about quality, safety and purity of the supplements.” 

“Unlike drugs, supplements are not required to prove their efficacy before being marketed or sold and the industry, both internationally and locally, is poorly regulated. The intention of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations which supplement companies may claim to adhere to, are in fact very general and open-ended and allow each manufacturer the flexibility to decide on how to implement controls. Although GMP standards may provide some assurance with regard to documentation of manufacturing processes, they do not guarantee that the product has been tested for banned substances. In practice, this means there is only limited control on the production, labeling  importation, distribution, and marketing of supplements and there is also no system to ensure products are safe and effective before they are sold. There have been numerous cases of supplements either being incorrectly labelled, or containing negligible amounts of declared ingredients and may even contain undeclared ingredients with potential harmful side-effects. There have also been several cases of athletes testing positive by virtue of having taken supplements and, unfortunately, this has undermined the image of the whole industry...”

“SARU recognizes that the only way rugby players will be risk-free is to AVOID using supplements completely This been said SARU also recognizes that some supplements do have proven performance enhancing and/or practical benefits, but since the industry is currently so poorly regulated it does not necessarily protect the player. However, players are always looking for a competitive advantage, and supplements allure to meet this need.   Industry uses this desire to perform better when marketing and advertising their products often making false claims with regard to the potential performance benefits. As a result of this SARU has made a commitment to help guide players on making informed choices through ongoing education and other initiatives... This document provides a scientific, evidence-based and practical approach to supplementation and outlines all the criteria that rugby players need to consider when choosing a supplement. These guidelines will minimize the risk but players are always reminded about the strict liability clause which means that all supplements are still taken at their own risk. SARU cannot be held responsible for players testing positive as a result of using contaminated supplements. To support this initiative, SARUis also planning to implement and manage a supplement approval program, with a listing of specific products that have undergone rigorous research and comply with standards and regulations. Similar programs have been successful internationally and are seen to be the only way forward…”

“Rugbyplayers generally take supplements to achieve specific goals such as increased strength, improved endurance and overcoming injury, as well as avoiding sickness. There is however supporting evidence for only a limited number of supplements that have any potential benefit for sport, including rugby. These benefits may be physiological, practical and even psychological but it remains important to carefully weigh up the cost of the benefits against the risks. Supplements should not be used where nutrient needs can be met by normal foods and they cannot compensate for poor dietary choices. Good food choices, on the other hand, do not compensate for an absence of talent, motivation, or a lack of training, but will help players maximize their potential. A good training program can be optimized with a varied and well-planned diet that provides the correct amounts and timing of food intake, to meet energy and nutrient demands. Used on a ‘just-in-case’ basis or inappropriately, supplements are likely to do more harm than good. For example, antioxidant supplements taken at high doses can become pro-oxidative and taking single doses of too much zinc can decrease HDL-cholesterol levels as well as the absorption of other important nutrients like iron and copper. Besides short- and long-term harm to health, there may also be negative effects on performance and the possibility of a player testing positive when taking a substance which may have been inadvertently or deliberately contaminated with banned substances…”

“There is no way for rugby players to know with 100% assurance what is in a supplement. Some manufacturers do have better quality controls and may to some extent be committed to having their products tested for banned substances. However, in many instances loopholes exist in the system (e.g. when only one specific flavor in a range has been tested, yet in the advertising this is not made clear; or the laboratory testing the products is not ISO 171025 accredited). Players still however need to question if using the supplement is necessary, and/or does the supplement have performance enhancing benefits. A systematic, safe and science-based approach to the use of supplements is therefore recommended. Players need to get the basics right first (i.e. periodised diet and training) as this is where the biggest potential for performance enhancement lies, and then only to consider supplements if:

• there are gaps in the diet that cannot be resolved with food and drink

• there is a clinical or medical reason

• the player has optimized the basic diet and training and is still needing a competitive edge”

1. “they are effective in offering practical and or physiological benefits, e.g. sports bars and gels are portable for travelling; caffeine may offer some players a small but significant advantage;

2. They are legal (as many as 1 in 4 supplements may result in a positive test because of contamination with steroids, stimulants and other drugs).  Quality assurance required for supplements is far more complex than a GMP statement from the manufacturer;

3. They do not adversely affect health, and

4. they are prescribed on a case-by-case basis by a registered dietitian with sports nutrition experience or a sports physician only once it has been determined that the habitual diet is unable to meet these additional nutrient requirements.

“The use of vitamin and mineral supplements will not improve performance in players whose diets are nutritionally adequate.  However, in situations where dietary intakes may be sub-optimal (for example if energy intake and food choices are restricted to help reduce body fat or to prevent weight gain or if players have limited food choices when travelling), a broad-spectrum, low-dose multi-vitamin and mineral supplement may help ensure that essential nutrient needs are met. Single nutrient supplements (e.g. iron) can do more harm than good, if use is random and uncontrolled, and should therefore only be prescribed by a sports physician or dietician. As a general rule, vitamin and mineral supplements should only be used when a deficiency has been confirmed, which may include blood analysis, and then only as a short-term solution while dietary changes are being implemented…”