NutraCast: Exploring the landscape of the supplement industry for athletes

Designs for Sport is a line of NSF Certified for Sport products that are used in over 200 collegiate and pro sport locker rooms. 

Bokser said that athletes that have long, successful careers are often the ones who take supplementation very seriously. 

"Steph Curry's really obsessed with it, Tom Brady, Sidney Crosby of hockey," he said."The guys who get obsessed [with supplements] and start putting that as a priority have long, fruitful careers. So it's almost like from a business mind as an athlete, it'd be worth investing in some upfront knowledge of nutrition and supplementation. 

"I think when athletes are looking at which supplements they should go to, I think they need the education everybody else needs, they need to understand that minerals come in different forms, vitamins come in different forms, absorption matters, dose matters, where you source the material really matters. You have to get really invested in what you're taking. I think every single human needs to be concerned. Athletes, again, we're talking about careers that are getting that extra 1% to 2% on performance that could mean the difference between a $5 million contract and a $40 million contract."

Bokser also highlighted the female athlete triad—the interrelationship of menstrual dysfunction, low energy availability and decreased bone mineral density. The condition impacts as many as 78% of high school athletes. 

"I think what makes a really good coach is they realize the athlete is an athlete but also a human being, and what they do in their human being life can have a great impact on their athletic performance," he explained. "So again, imagine you're a 16-year-old girl. Now your menstrual cycle is off because you're not eating enough, and you're exhausted throughout the day. You're pounding energy drinks to get through the day. How are you going to perform best at your sport? How are you going to show up good in your social life? Are you going to do well in school? Are you going to build good relationships? So the coach that understands those quantitative aspects of the athlete are the ones who succeed in the long term. And I think if you're an athlete, you should have no guilt in trying to find somebody who supports that part of your life as well."

To hear more on the female athlete triad, notable trends and Bokser’s prediction for the growth trajectory of the sports supplement industry, listen to the NutraCast.

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