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Evaluating Dietary Supplements for Athlete Health, Safety, and Performance: Evidence-Based Tools and Strategies for Athletic Trainers

Evaluating Dietary Supplements for Athlete Health, Safety, and Performance: Evidence-Based Tools and Strategies for Athletic Trainers

Only available as part of a package

Abstract:
Despite frequent questions from athletes, many athletic trainers (ATs) report uncertainty when navigating dietary supplement safety, efficacy, and legality. Poor supplement regulation, risk of contamination, and evolving anti-doping rules increase the complexity of this role. This session addresses the urgent need for evidence-based tools and clinical decision-making strategies to help ATs evaluate supplements and guide athletes. Presenters will deliver practical approaches aligned with current regulations, third-party testing, and interdisciplinary collaboration—empowering ATs to reduce risk, support performance, and know when to refer to a sports dietitian.

Learning Objectives:

  • Evaluate the safety, efficacy, and legality of dietary supplements using evidence-based frameworks and resources.
  • Identify supplement-related health and eligibility risks, including contamination, mislabeling, and banned substances.
  • Apply a structured supplement screening process during pre-participation exams and athlete consultations.
  • Differentiate between high-risk and lower-risk supplements using third-party testing and regulatory tools.
  • Consider effective collaboration with sports dietitians and other professionals to support safe and strategic supplement use.

Level:
Essential

Domain(s):
Domain 1: Risk Reduction Wellness and Health Literacy 
Domain 2: Assessment Evaluation and Diagnosis 
Domain 4: Therapeutic Intervention 
Domain 5: Health Care Administration and Professional Responsibility

Orthopedic Domain(s):
Domain 3: Professional Practice

Keywords:
anti-doping; third-party certification; sports nutrition

CEUs:
1.0 Category A

A Statement of Credit reflecting your CEUs will be issued immediately upon the successful completion of all course components. 


Course Expiration: 
All sessions of the NATA 77th Symposia On-Demand must be completed by December 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
For full details, refer to the expiration policy on our FAQ page.

Katie Knappenberger, MS, RD, CSSD, ATC

Katie Knappenberger joined Northwestern University Athletics as the Sports Dietitian in June of 2014 to build a performance nutrition program unlike any other in college athletics. Her mission is to empower athletes to use food to fuel athletic and academic success. She is responsible for team and staff education, meal planning, individual nutrition counseling and food and supplement security.

Knappenberger joins the Wildcats after serving for three years as an assistant professor and athletic trainer at Daytona State College in Daytona Beach, Fla. She earned her bachelor's degree in athletic training from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and her master's degree in nutrition with emphasis in sports dietetics from the University of Utah.

Knappenberger is a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, a Registered Dietitian and a Certified Athletic Trainer who is actively involved in the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA), the Sports Cardiovascular and Wellness Dietetic Practice Group (SCAN), the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA). In June of 2012, she presented "The Running Athlete: Evaluation, Rehabilitation and Performance Enhancement" at the National Athletic Trainers' Association Annual Meeting and Clinical Symposia. In March of 2014, she presented "Creative Sports Nutrition Solutions for the Athlete in Everyone" to the Volusia County Dietetics Association.

Floris Wardenaar, PhD

Floris C. Wardenaar, PhD, FACSM, is an Associate Professor at the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University (ASU). Before coming to ASU in 2017 he worked for the Dutch Olympic Committee as a sports dietitian during five Olympic Games from 2008-2016, of which as team lead of the nutrition team during the last 3 years in preparation for the Rio de Janeiro games in Brazil. During this period, he also obtained his PhD at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. 

Aside from investigating hydration self-assessment in active populations and validating simple and practical methods, that sports health professionals and their athletes can use, his current research focuses on nutritional supplement behavior in athletes, as well as getting a better understanding of gastrointestinal complaints in active populations. Over the last few years, his research has covered the assessment of athletes' dietary intake, athlete sports nutrition knowledge, and the prevalence of GI complaints in athletic populations. He has a keen interest in using simple sensors and measurements as part of field testing. 

Dr. Wardenaar is an active member of ACSM, APSDA, the Dutch Association for Sports Dietetics, the Dutch Dietetic Association, and he currently serves as Vice-President of PINES, a global organization for Professionals in Nutrition for Exercise and Sport. 

This content will not be available until 07/31/2026 at 12:00 AM (CDT)