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Protein supplements commonly are ingested by athletes to improve strength, agility, and speed. While athletes require a higher amount of protein (g.kg body weight) than nonathletes do to support protein synthesis, they do not necessarily need to consume protein from supplemental sources. To date, no studies have shown an advantage of ingesting protein supplements over natural, protein-containing foods; therefore, dietary sources of protein may be just as effective as protein supplemental sources in the regulation of muscle protein synthesis. Misconceptions regarding protein supplement effectiveness may originate from athletes' nutrition information sources. A survey questionnaire queried high school football players about sources of information and measured protein supplement misconceptions by using scores on a Protein Supplement Misconceptions Index. Sixty-one high school football players participated in the study; 39 were protein supplementers, and 22 were non-protein supplementers. There was a significant difference between index scores of protein supplementers and non-protein supplementers (t = -3.4, p = 0.001), indicating that protein supplementers had a greater level of misconceptions than non-protein supplementers did. Bonferroni post hoc procedures used with individual index items revealed that protein supplementers were more likely than non-protein supplementers to agree that "athletes should take protein supplements" (p = 0.001) and needed them "to gain as much muscle as possible" (p = 0.001). Greater misconceptions for protein supplementers may have resulted from the sources chosen for information and advice. Since coaches, parents, and friends were the primary sources of advice about protein supplements for protein supplementers, it would be valuable to provide nutrition education to these groups concurrently with educating young athletes to dispel ongoing misconceptions regarding the need for and effectiveness of protein supplements.

This study examined the effects that preceding creatine supplementation with a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet would have on plasma creatine concentration. Twenty-six healthy moderately fit omnivorous men were assigned to either a 26-day lacto-ovo-vegetarian (LOV; n = 12) or omnivorous (Omni; n = 14) diet. On day 22, subjects were also assigned in a double-blind manner either creatine monohydrate (CM; 0.3 g.kg(-1).day(-1) + 20 g Polycose) or an equivalent dose of placebo (PL) for 5 days. Blood samples were taken on days 1, 22 and 27. Consuming a LOV diet for 21 days was effective in reducing plasma creatine concentration (p < 0.01) in the LOV group. Regardless of diet, the CM group showed an increase in plasma creatine concentrations from day 22 to 27, whereas the PL group's levels remained the same (p < 0.05). Although the LOV diet caused a deprivation effect in plasma creatine concentration relative to the Omni diet, concurrent supplementation with creatine resulted in no difference in plasma creatine concentrations between the LOV and Omni diet groups. Dietary advice should be provided to LOV athletes that supplementation with creatine may help to increase their muscle stores of creatine, and thus their ATP resynthesis capabilities, to levels similar to those of omnivores.

The purpose of the study was to examine differences between elderly herbal supplement users and nonusers with respect to their perceptions of the safety of supplements and their satisfaction with current medical care. The researchers interviewed 69 elderly persons from congregate meal sites in four Illinois counties to assess herbal supplement use, perceptions of herbal supplement safety, medical supervision of herbal supplement use, and satisfaction with medical care. Two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests compared both perceived safety of herbal supplements and satisfaction with medical care of supplement users and nonusers. Herbal supplement users were more likely to perceive supplements as safe and to be less satisfied with conventional medical care than nonusers. Some elderly persons do not inform physicians that they are using herbal supplements, thus increasing the risk for supplement misuse, toxicity, and drug-supplement interactions. It is important that physicians, dietetics professionals, and pharmacists inquire about and discuss herbal supplement use with elderly patients.