Auditing the representation of female versus male athletes in sports science and sports medicine research: Evidence-based performance supplements
Date
2022
Authors
Smith, Ella S.
McKay, Alannah K. A.
Kuikman, Megan
Ackerman, Kathryn E.
Harris, Rachel
Elliott-Sale, Kirsty J.
Stellingwerff, Trent
Burke, Louise M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Nutrients
Abstract
Although sports nutrition guidelines promote evidence-based practice, it is unclear whether
women have been adequately included in the underpinning research. In view of the high usage rates
of performance supplements by female athletes, we conducted a standardised audit of the literature
supporting evidence-based products: β-alanine, caffeine, creatine, glycerol, nitrate/beetroot juice
and sodium bicarbonate. Within 1826 studies totalling 34,889 participants, just 23% of participants
were women, although 34% of studies included at least one woman. Across different supplements,
0–8% of studies investigated women exclusively, while fewer (0–2%) were specifically designed to
compare sex-based responses. The annual publication of female-specific studies was ~8 times fewer
than those investigating exclusively male cohorts. Interestingly, 15% of the female participants were
classified as international/world-class athletes, compared with 7% of men. Most studies investigated
performance outcomes but displayed poorer representation of women (16% of participants), whereas
health-focussed studies had the greatest proportion of female participants (35%). Only 14% of studies
including women attempted to define menstrual status, with only three studies (~0.5%) implementing
best practice methodologies to assess menstrual status. New research should target the efficacy of
performance supplements in female athletes, and future sports nutrition recommendations should
specifically consider how well female athletes have contributed to the evidence-base.
Description
Keywords
women, physical activity, menstrual status, oral contraceptive, nutrition
Citation
Smith, E., McKay, A., Kuikman, M., Ackerman, K., Harris, R., . . . Burke, L. (2022). “Auditing the representation of female versus male athletes in sports science and sports medicine research: Evidence-based performance supplements.” Nutrients, 14(5), 953. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14050953