Prevalence and patterns of sports supplement use in elite wheelchair basketball players: an analysis based on the AIS framework.

Abstract

Background: Sports supplement use is widespread in elite sport, yet evidence regarding supplementation practices in Paralympic team sports remains limited. Wheelchair basketball players present specific physiological and contextual characteristics that may influence supplement use and its alignment with current scientific evidence.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 66 elite Spanish wheelchair basketball players (57 men and 9 women) from 10 first-division teams. Participants completed a validated questionnaire assessing self-reported sports supplement use, reasons for consumption, and sources of information. Supplements were classified according to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) framework based on scientific evidence and safety. Descriptive and exploratory analyses were performed to examine associations between self-reported sports supplement use and athlete characteristics, including sex, functional classification, and training profile.

Results: Overall, 72.7% of athletes reported current self-reported sports supplement use. Expressed as proportions of the entire sample (n = 66), Group A products were consumed by 66.7% of athletes, Group B products by 31.8%, while no athletes reported using Group C (0%) or Group D (0%) substances. Protein supplements, creatine monohydrate, and caffeine were the most frequently consumed products. Supplement use patterns were generally similar across sex and functional classifications, although no statistically significant differences were observed.

Conclusion: Elite wheelchair basketball players show a high prevalence of self-reported sports supplement use, predominantly involving products currently classified within AIS Group A. While the primary use of Group A supplements reflects a high intake of products with established efficacy, actual evidence-based practice requires individualized evaluation, underscoring the importance of professionally guided nutrition strategies in Paralympic team sports.