The determining of fitness exercisers' knowledge level about doping and food supplements

The aim of this study is to determine the level of knowledge about doping and food supplements of Fitness Exercisers' in the private sports halls in Çorum and to determine their usage status, how to obtain them and whether they have received professional advice. It is also aimed to determine which sources exercisers provide these items. 93 males and 43 females total 136 Fitness Exercisers, 26 males and 15 females total 41 pharmacy pharmacists participated in the study. Research is a screening model and has a cross-sectional feature. Data were collected by using questionnaire technique and evaluated in SPSS program. Analysis revealed that 14,7 % of the people surveyed 136 (20 people) used doping and 85,3% (116 individuals) which did not use doping and 86,8 % (118 people) used food supplements and 13,2 % (18 people) did not use food supplements. 49,3 % of respondents (58,1 %; women, 30,2 %) had sufficient knowledge of doping and 55,1 % (63,4 % of females and 37,2 % of females) had sufficient knowledge about food supplements. 33,1 % (45 people) of the exercisers did not consult any health professionals during the use of doping or food supplements; 58,1 % (79 people) consulted to health professionals. In addition to this, 39 % of exercisers from drug dispensers and 37,5 % from pharmacies, supply doping substances. It was found that 41,9 % of the sportsmen provided food supplements from their gyms and 29,4 % of them provided from their coaches. 33,1 % (45 people) of the participants using doping or food supplement did not consult with health professionals; 58,1 % (79 people) consulted health professionals; 4,4 % (6 persons) were determined not to use. In addition to this, 39% of the doping substances were from drug dispensers and 37,5 % from pharmacies; 41,9 % of the food supplements were found in sports halls and 29,4 % were provided by their coaches. According to the data obtained from the questionnaire applied to the community pharmacies, it was found that most of the fitness exercisers were trying to obtain doping substance from pharmacies. The survey done to pharmacists revealed that demand among doping and supplements is mainly focused on anabolic steroids, growth hormones and food supplements. Amphetamine, ephedrine etc. prohibited drugs that should be provided by prescription are thought to be provided by illegal means. Keywords: Doping, Fitness, Food Supplements, Pharma