This document summarizes a study on protein supplement intake among gym-goers in Lebanon. The study found that 40% of gym-goers consumed protein supplements, most commonly whey protein shakes. Sources of advice on supplements were friends (40%) and gym instructors (30%). While 13 participants reported positive effects, 7 reported negative side effects. The discussion compares these findings to prior studies and notes limitations like small sample size. It concludes there is a need for programs to increase scientific knowledge on supplements and control misleading media information.

1. Protein Supplements Intake
Among Gym-Goers in
Lebanon
By Nadine Massaad

2. Acknowledgement
 First, I would like to thank my mentor miss Aline Rizkalla who helped me all the
way through the review of every draft and enlightening me about the
requirements to complete the project.
 Second, I would like to thank Dr. Mireille Serhan for following our progress and
helping us in reaching the desired goal
 And, I would like to thank the gym goers who accepted to fill the needed survey
and the owners of Zahle and Ashrafiyeh gyms.

3. Table of Contents
 I. INTRODUCTION
 II. LITTERATURE REVIEW
 III.RATIONALE
 IV. RESEARCH QUESTION
 V. METHODS
 VI. DISCUSSION
 VII. LIMITATIONS
 VIII. ETHICS
 IX. CONCLUSION
 X. REFERENCES

4. Introduction
 Since body shapes are very important in society, people tend to follow the most
appropriate and easy way to get the perfect body
 The use of protein supplements, whether vitamins, minerals, protein, creatine
and other ergogenic compounds, has been in great increase and reached
about 85% among athletes and gym-goers (Maughan et al., 2007)

5. Protein Supplements
Individuals tend to
consume protein
supplements to
enhance their
muscular gross in
size and strength
Misuse in either
taking wrong
doses per day or
not reading the
labels
Adverse side
effects
Gout
Increased body fat
Dehydration
Kidney overload
Calcium loss…
(Oliver et al., 2011).

6. Literature Review
In a cross sectional study done by Oliver et al in 2011 on the
prevalence of proteins supplements of gym-goers, found
that 25% exceed the RDA recommended for protein intake
Another study revealed that over half of 39 protein
supplementers thought that no harm is caused and only 4 out
of 22 non supplementers thought so (Duellman et al, 2008)
In the GUTS(Growing Up Today Study), 91%
of 6212 females and 83% of 4237 males
were reading magazines like fashion, health
fitness and sports magazines
Duellman et al (2008) also revealed that 7
out of the 39 protein-supplementers got
information about the use of
supplementation from the media.

7. Rationale
 Lack of studies that consider the Lebanese population and its gym goers that
consume protein supplements
 Lack in the studies reviewing the side effects that are caused by the over intake of
supplements
 Crucial to conduct this study and try to get an estimate of the prevalence of protein
supplementation and the possible manifestation of any side effects in order to come
up with the perfect intervention to help and educate gym-goers in the near future

8. Methods – Cross-Sectional Study Design
Lebanese Gym-
Goers
Life Gym in Zahle
+ Beirut Gym in
Ashrafiyeh
N = 50
Questionnaire for data
collection
Data will be
described and
analyzed with the
use of tables and
graphs

9. Results
Sex Proportion (N=50)
Females N=15  30%
Males N=35  70%
Age Group (years) Proportion
15-24 N=32  64%
25-34 N=12  24%
35-44 N=6  12%

10. Reasons for attending gym
60%
24%
16%
Good Shape Health Benefits To Exercise

11. Protein supplements intake
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
No
Yes
Yes, used to
27(54%)
20(40%)
3(7%)
Intake of Protein Supplements
Total

12. Protein intake according to Age Groups:
12
4 4
60% 20% 20%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
15-24 yrs 25-34 yrs 35-44 yrs
Protein intake Percentage
Results showed that protein intake dominated by the smallest age group from 15-24 years old attending
gym and equal consumption for both ranging from 25 till 34 and 35 till 44 years old.

13. Level of Protein Intake
0
2
0
1
0
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
25
30
45
50
75
90
Amount of Protein Intake(grams)
Currently Used to

14. Type of Protein Supplements Consumed
6
12
2
WHEY PROTEIN
SHAKES/POWDER
CASEIN
Type of Protein Supplements

15. Source of advices
10%
40%
30%
20%
Motivation
Friends Gym Instructor Media Personal Choice

16. Sources of Supplements
4
14
2
0
20%
70%
10%
0%
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Nutrition Supplement Stores
Gym
Online Stores
Sport Stores
Percentage N
As compared to the source of motivation which is the gym instructor influencing
adults to consume and obtain supplements from the gym

17. Side Effects
7
13
0
SIDE EFFECTS
SUPPLEMENTS SIDE EFFECTS
No Positive Positive Negative

18. Discussion
 In our study, prevalence of supplementation is
40%by gym-goers
Consistent
Khoury and Antoine-Jonville  36.3%
Higher
Oliver et al(2011)  28%
• Type of protein supplements
Protein powder consumption had a
prevalence of 40% and 39.8% in both
our study and the study in Beirut
respectively
• Outcome of Supplementation
In our study
65% + effects/ 35%no – effects
In Oliver et al(2011)
77.4% + effects/19.1% - effects
3.7%  indecisive

19. Discussion
 Source of information
 Gym instructors were the primary source of information in our study
 Compliant with Khoury and Antoine-Jonville (2012) discovery
 coaches provided an ultimate source of information for exercisers
 critical considerations about the accuracy, feasibility and effectiveness of such information
and knowledge are taking place
 Media television, internet, books and magazines subjected 30% of our study participants to
protein supplements consumption
 correlation with Jacobson et al (2001) and Rosenbloom et al (2002) who considered media,
coaches and peers as a poor source of nutritional scientific information
 Duellman et al (2008) also showed that 7 out of 39 protein supplementers got information on
supplementation from the media

20. Limitations
 Small sample size  sampling error  not representative
 Weight and height were self reported  lack of accuracy
 Reporting bias  not reporting having side effects  prospective cohort would
be beneficial to follow participants and find a temporal relationship

21. Ethics
 Voluntary participation
 Confidentiality preserved by giving IDs rather than taking names
 No invasive tests  collection of data at one point in time
 no physical, social, legal, economic or psychological harm
 Questionnaires sealed in a safe place
 Destruction of data after a certain time of publication (approximately 5years)

22. Conclusion
 Need to implement programs to increase the scientific knowledge
 Increasing awareness
 Control over the media to prevent negative impacts on adults and teenagers
 Future studies should be done to investigate the possible occurrence of
negative side effects resulting from over consumption of protein supplements

23. References
D. El Khoury., & S. Antoine-Jonville. (2012). Intake of Nutritional Supplements among People
Exercising in Gyms in Beirut City. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/703490 Retrieved from:
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnme/2012/703490/
Duellman, M., Lukaszuk, J., Prawitz, A., & Brandenburg, J. (2008, July). Protein supplement
users among high school athletes have misconception about effectiveness. Journal of
Strength and Conditioning. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.ezsecureaccess.balamand.edu.lb/docview/213058820?pq-
origsite=summon
Food and Drug Administration (2002) Dietary supplement enforcement report. Retrieved
from http://www.fda.gov/oc/nutritioninitiative/report.html
Maughan R.J., King D.S., Lea T. (2004) Dietary supplements. Journal of Sports Sciences 22, 95-
113
Oliver et al (2011). Prevalence of protein supplement use at gyms. Nutrición Hospitalaria. 26(5)
Rosenbloom, CA, Jonnalagadda, SS, and Skinner, R Nutrition knowledge of collegiate athletes
in a Division I National Collegiate Athletic Association institution. J Am Diet Assoc 102:
418420, 2002