UH players use supplements, but not any banned by NCAA

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

While it is estimated that many University of Hawai'i football players use nutritional supplements, few have used unregulated supplements and none has tested positive for substances banned by the NCAA in June Jones' three years as head coach.

Nearly 60 percent of college athletes interviewed in a recent NCAA survey said they used a nutritional supplement other than a multivitamin in the past four years. Unregulated nutritional supplements might contain banned substances, the NCAA said.

UH slotback Craig Stutzmann said the survey's figures "sound a little high and unrealistic. I don't hear of (teammates) using that kind of stuff."

UH middle linebacker Chris Brown said "almost everyone on the team took or takes some kind of supplement, whether it's protein (powders) or Creatine." None, Brown said, use steroids.

The NCAA allows the consumption of protein powders as long as the supplement does not exceeded 30 percent of an athlete's daily calories.

Creatine, an amino acid categorized as a "food supplement" by the Food and Drug Administration, is sold over the counter. NCAA rules prohibit schools from distributing Creatine, although college athletes are allowed to buy the supplement from stores. Schools may provide supplements, other than Creatine, that are not made up of more than 8 percent protein.

The UH athletic department requires its athletes to attend a semester class on drug awareness. Athletes must submit to two scheduled drug tests each year, as well as random tests throughout their season.

"Our kids are aware of what's legal and what's not," Jones said.

Jones said federal privacy laws prevent him from discussing the results of the drug tests, but people familiar with the situation say no football players have tested positive for banned substances in recent years.

Stutzmann said players use supplements not to add bulk "but to recover quicker from workouts. (Supplements) replenish what your body lacks. In today's competitive atmosphere, you have to take some kind of supplement because you push your body so much."

Said Brown: "I don't think it's a problem, as long as you're not overdoing it. And I'm not saying it's everyone. But a majority of the players are either taking (supplements) or have tried (them)."