Description: 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.

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.

Presenter(s): Katie Knappenberger, RD, CSSD, ATC; Floris Wardenaar, PhD

Status: Active

Activity Difficulty Level: Essential

Domains:

• Critical Incident Management
• Health Care Administration and Professional Responsibility
• Risk Reduction
• Wellness and Health Literacy
• Specialty (Orthopedic): Professional Practice
• Therapeutic Intervention

Format: Virtual Asynchronous - On Demand

Dual Credentials and JA: Athletic Trainers Only

Start Date & Time: 07/30/2026 07:00 PM

End Date & Time: 12/31/2026 06:00 PM

Cost: $499.00