Over the last year or so several articles have appeared in PEP online suggesting that exercise physiologists who conduct research on exercise and nutrition and or recommend that their clients/athletes consume special diets or take nutritional supplements are quacks [1]. More recent articles suggested that: 1.) sport nutrition research is often flawed from an ethical and scientific perspective; 2.) it is unethical and/or unprofessional for exercise physiologists to conduct performance enhancement research (particularly if it is funded by a supplement company); 3.) it is unethical and/or unprofessional for exercise physiologists to consult with supplement companies; 4.) it is unethical for athletes to consume nutrients and/or take performance enhancement supplements because it is a form of cheating; 5.) exercise physiologists and professors who conduct research in this area and/or teach their students how to optimize training and/or performance through scientific application of training and nutrition are unethical and contributing to a “win at all cost” mentality; and, 6.) if exercise physiologists recommend that people take nutritional supplements they are in violation of the ASEP Code of Ethics and should therefore be sanctioned in some manner by ASEP [1-5].
As leading researchers and educators in this area, we felt that it was time to provide our opinion on these articles. Although we have great respect for the authors and appreciate their commitment to ASEP and passion for the professionalization of exercise physiologists, it is our view that many of the comments made in these articles simply cannot be supported by the current scientific literature. Further, that much of the logic used to support these views is flawed. Members of ASEP should know that many leading sport nutrition researchers, ASEP members, and members of the ASEP Board of Directors (BOD) do not share these views. As an indication of this consensus, this paper is coauthored by a number of respected exercise physiology and sport nutrition professors, researchers, practitioners, and leading who have extensive experience working with athletes, teaching exercise physiology and sport nutrition, conducting research on dietary supplements, serving as consultants for nutrition companies, coordinating research and product development for nutrition companies, and/or educating the scientific and lay communities about the role of nutrition on exercise and performance. This list includes: the Past-President and President-Elect of ASEP; members of the ASEP Board of Directors; Certified Exercise Physiologists (EPC), Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS), Certified Athletic Trainers (ATC), and registered dietitians (RD); Fellows of ASEP, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), American College of Nutrition (ACN), and the North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO); leaders of sport nutrition organizations; Chief Scientific Officers of leading supplement companies; and, a cofounder of a company founded on the principle of developing products based on science. While PEP Online provides an opportunity for exercise physiologists to raise issues relevant to the professional practice of exercise physiologists and sport nutrition is certainly a relevant issue for exercise physiologists, authors should be careful that the opinions are based on a thorough and comprehensive analysis of the literature so that unfounded conclusions are not made. It is our view that these articles have served to alienate exercise physiologists, divide ASEP members, and have reflected poorly upon ASEP within the broader scientific community due to a misrepresentation of available scientific literature. Consequently, we felt it was our responsibility to provide a more balanced perspective on the role of nutrition on exercise and performance.
In our view, it is the professional responsibility of an exercise physiologist to be up to date on current literature so the students, clients, and/or athletes are provided the latest information so they can make an informed decision about whether to try a particular training/rehab program, diet, and/or nutritional supplement. Moreover, they should teach their students about legal and illegal performance enhancement aids used by athletes so they understand the potential physiological mechanisms of action, potential benefits, and/or possible risks and side effects in order to properly educate their clients/athletes. If a proposed nutrient or diet lacks scientific support, then it is the responsibility of the exercise physiologist to inform their students, clients,and/or athletes that there is little to no data supporting a proposed benefit. If outrageous claims are made by marketing arms of supplement companies, then the best course of action for an exercise physiologist is to conduct research, publish the research findings, and inform their students and the public that there is no data to support the claims made. We concur that not doing so would be unethical. However, in our view it is equally unethical to suggest there are no data supporting the health and/or ergogenic value of a diet strategy or nutrient when there are indeed data supporting its use. It is our experience that many exercise physiologists and nutritionists unintentionally mislead and confuse the public because they simply are not familiar with the available scientific data. The area of exercise nutrition is rapidly advancing. Thousands of articles are published every year investigating the role of nutrition and exercise on health, disease, and performance. There have been enormous advancements in our understanding how diet, exercise, and specific nutrients can promote health, well-being, helps in disease management, and/or improve performance and training adaptations. For this reason, many grant agencies like the National Institutes of Health have called for an increase in funding to assess the interaction of exercise and nutrition on health, disease, and performance. In our view, not being aware of the scientific literature and/or making blatantly inaccurate or false statements about the role of nutrition and exercise is as unethical as supplement companies making unsupported claims about their products.
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Exercise & Sport Nutrition: A Balanced Perspective for Exercise Physiologists
