Assessment of Dietary Supplement Use, Awareness, and Energy Expenditure among Gym-goers in Aden Governorate, Yemen

Background: Dietary supplements (DS) containing vitamins, proteins, and minerals are widely used by gym-goers to enhance health, recovery, and performance. However, awareness of their safe use, nutritional adequacy, and energy balance varies considerably.


Objective: To assess dietary supplement use, awareness, and energy balance among gym-goers in Aden Governorate, Yemen.


Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 270 gym-goers selected from five gyms using stratified multi-stage sampling. Data on supplement consumption, calorie intake, expenditure, and awareness were collected and analyzed.


Results: Of the 270 participants, 64.8% reported using nutritional supplements. Protein powder (26.7%) and creatine (33.7%) were the most commonly consumed, followed by vitamin D (20%), zinc (18.9%), and multivitamins (18.5%). Calcium (8.9%) and biotin (4.4%) were less frequently used, while fat burners, herbal products, and ginseng were reported by fewer than 3%. Most respondents were aware of potential adverse effects (67%) and supplement misuse risks (66.6%); 67.8% sought medical advice, and 51.1% were able to interpret product labels. Reported benefits included muscle building (55.6%), increased energy (33.7%), and weight loss (29.3%). Dietary analysis showed inadequate intake, with all gym-goers consuming <6 g/kg of carbohydrates, 78.9% consuming <20% of calories from fat, and 95.9% consuming ≤1.6 g/kg of protein. Supplement use was significantly associated with education, occupation, income, and awareness (p = 0.001), and protein powder use correlated with higher TDEE (p = 0.007).


Conclusion: Supplement use is common among gym-goers but is accompanied by nutritional imbalances and limited awareness of risks. Educational programs are recommended to promote balanced diets and informed, evidence-based supplement use.