Are supplements safe for school athletes to use?

SAIDS advises against them for young athletes. It supports the international consensus that under-18s should not use supplements, including creatine, caffeine, pro-hormones and herbal products, partly because there is very little research on their effects in young athletes.

Why SAIDS warns against supplements:

• Products can contain banned or harmful substances not listed on the label, or wrong doses. A clean-looking label is no guarantee.
• The supplement industry has limited regulation, so claims are often misleading or unproven.
• Higher-risk products include pro-hormones, stimulant "fat burners" and "natural" or herbal products. Methylhexaneamine can appear under many names.
• SAIDS and WADA never approve or endorse supplements. Third-party "certified" logos reduce but do not remove the risk of a positive test.

It is no defence that a supplement was contaminated. Under strict liability the athlete is responsible for anything in their sample. A proven contaminated product can reduce the ban, but not remove the violation.

SAIDS's advice is to focus on a balanced diet, training, rest and recovery, and to see a registered sports dietitian before considering any supplement. Supplements are not covered by the SAIDS Medication Check.