Viewpoint: Here’s why almost all sports supplements are a risky scam

Supplements are not benign. We think they are, but they aren’t. Some promise to boost muscle mass or improve sports performance and are popular with young men. But multiple studies have shown that these products often have inaccurate labels, contain ingredients they shouldn’t, are missing the ingredients they should, and pose a potential safety risk. They might also be the first step along the path toward the use of anabolic steroids.

[In a] 2023 analysis, 40 per cent of the 57 products tested did not contain any of the labelled ingredients. Many others contained incorrect doses and 12 per cent contained at least one FDA-prohibited ingredient. Only 11 per cent had ingredient doses that matched what was on the label.

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Not every supplement is dangerous or contaminated with unlabeled ingredients, and most people will not go on to abuse anabolic steroids. But the issue is pervasive enough that it puts young athletes and aspiring athletes at risk. They believe these supplements will improve their sports performance when they probably won’t. They believe they are safe when they may not be. They believe they are necessary to achieve some masculine ideal, when such ideals are a fantasy. They are fundamentally unnecessary.

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