PD165 - HIGH PREVALENCE BUT LIMITED IMPACT OF SUPPLEMENT USE IN ELITE UNDER-18 RUGBY PLAYERS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL AUDIT

PD165

HIGH PREVALENCE BUT LIMITED IMPACT OF SUPPLEMENT USE IN ELITE UNDER-18 RUGBY PLAYERS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL AUDIT

L. Uyanege^1,*, H. Amarathunga¹, L. Maddumabandara²

¹University of Colombo, Post Graduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo, ²Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Rationale: Nutritional supplement use is increasingly prevalent among adolescent athletes despite limited evidence supporting its efficacy in improving performance or body composition. Concerns remain regarding inappropriate use, lack of professional guidance, and potential health risks. This audit aimed to determine the prevalence of supplement use and evaluate its association with body composition in national-level under-18 rugby players.

Methods: A cross-sectional audit was conducted among 60 national-level school rugby players. Supplement use was recorded and categorised (whey protein, creatine, omega-3, or none). Body composition, including total skeletal muscle mass and visceral fat percentage, was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Whey protein users were compared with all other players (creatine, omega-3, and non-users). Statistical comparisons were performed, and effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were calculated.

Results: Overall supplement use prevalence was high at 93.3%. Whey protein was the most commonly reported supplement (n=17), while fewer reported creatine or omega-3 use.

Whey protein users demonstrated higher mean skeletal muscle mass compared to others (35.86 vs 32.73), although not statistically significant (p=0.15). However, a large effect size was observed (Cohen’s d ≈ 1.0), suggesting a potentially meaningful difference.

No difference was observed in visceral fat percentage (6.29% vs 6.52%, p=0.81, d≈0.10).

Conclusion: Supplement use is highly prevalent among elite schoolboy rugby players, exceeding rates in comparable adolescent cohorts. Despite this, no statistically significant improvements in body composition were observed. A large effect size for skeletal muscle suggests a possible benefit of whey protein that may be underpowered. These findings highlight the need for evidence-based guidance and improved nutritional education in adolescent athletes.

Disclosure of Interest: L. Uyanege Consultant for: 1, H. Amarathunga Consultant for: 1, L. Maddumabandara Consultant for: 1