The prevalence of falsification of biologically active additives popular among athletes: a scoping review

Abstract

Dietary supplements are widely used by athletes, but many may not be aware of their falsification, especially when you consider that supplements can often be contaminated with prohibited substances.Objective. To analyze and summarize information on the prevalence of falsification of dietary supplements.Methods. To analyze the research, we searched the following scientific electronic databases: PubMed, Science Direct, MedNar and eLibrary without language restrictions. The review included studies published over the past 25 years.Results. According to the search results, we found 271 studies and a total of 36 studies were included in the review.Conclusions. From 10 to 58% of biologically active additives may be contaminated with prohibited substances. The most common substances in them are anabolic–androgenic steroids and stimulants.