Have you heard about the new research suggesting some PE teachers are giving or selling supplements to their students to boost their performance on the pitch? If not, it's something you might want to pay attention to. From our perspective, there are better sport nutrition solutions available to PE teachers and students than schoolboy supplements.
Nutrivend is a company that has been heavily invested in sport nutrition from our very founding. We believe in the power of good nutrition to help athletes perform at their best while also maintaining optimal health. But like many other organisations, we are wary of supplements. They may have a place in sport, but they can also lead to problems if not used responsibly.
We believe a better way to go is to focus on good nutrition from top to bottom. This includes eating nutritional foods throughout the day, along with consuming nutritional snacks before, during, and after workouts. The previously mentioned research suggests such good nutritional habits are not what some PE teachers are encouraging.
Selling Supplements to Rugby Players
According to TES, research looking at interactions between 135 PE teachers and more than 770 schoolboys reveals a disturbing practice whereby teachers purchase nutritional supplements in bulk and then sell them to young rugby players. The research comes from Leeds Beckett University.
Researchers are concerned that student rugby players are at a greater risk of doping because their PE teachers are getting them in the habit of boosting muscle mass and improving performance by taking supplements rather than focusing on good nutrition. The researchers further contend that impressionable schoolboys are being led down a path that may make them susceptible to trying more risky substances in the future.
A number of students reported on how their coaches purchased protein shakes and other supplements from distributors in large lots. They then turned around and sold the supplements to students who trusted them to procure the products from reliable distributors.
Forget the Supplements and Just Eat Right
So, should student athletes be taking supplements? According to researcher Prof Susan Backhouse, the answer is an unequivocal 'no'. She told the Guardian that "supplements have been identified as a potential risk factor for doping and addiction." Assuming that's the case, we couldn't agree more.
Forget the supplements and just eat right. If you own a gym or leisure centre, you can facilitate good nutrition among your customers by focusing on sports nutrition solutions rather than questionable supplements. We can help by supplying you with vending solutions that put the right products within reach of all your visitors.
Supplements may have a place in the hands of professional athletes who have taken the time to do the research and weigh the risks. They don't belong in the hands of student athletes or adults who don't know what they are all about. So instead of supplements, let's make a concerted effort to get back to legitimate sport nutrition solutions.
Sources:
1.TES – https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/warning-pe-teachers-found-selling-pupils-supplements-might-encourage
2.Guardian – https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/feb/27/schools-sell-sports-supplements-pupils
