Introduction:Using sports supplements is a common strategy for improving athletic
performance. The prevalence of using sports supplements among adolescent and young athletes
has been increasing in recent years.Methods:This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 200 bodybuilding athletes. The data
collection tool was a pre-made questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed among the athletes
by available methods and collected after filling out. The chi-square test, Fisher's exact test,
and logistic regression model were used to analyze the data.Results:The prevalence of using sports supplements was 62.5% (n=125), with males accounting
for 67.5% (n=135) of the consumers. Various forms of proteins (43.5%, n=87), vitamins (40.5%,
n=81), and hormones (38.5%, n=77) were the most commonly recommended supplements by the
coaches (58.4%, n=73) and other athletes (31.2%, n=9). The sports supplements have been considered
to have no side effects by 16.8% (n=21) of the athletes; however, 19.2% (n=24) mentioned
cardiac adverse events, and 13.6% (n=17) pointed to renal complications as potential consequences
of supplement use. The results of statistical tests and a logistic regression model showed
a statistically significant relationship between sex, age, education and income, and sports supplement
use (p=0.001).Conclusion:According to the results of this current study, a significant proportion of bodybuilding
athletes take sports supplements without being aware of the side effects. Therefore, it is necessary
to develop an educational program to inform the population about the mechanism of action of
supplements in the body and also educate athletes and coaches about the correct use, side effects,
and irreversible consequences of improper supplements use.