Charlatans thrive in the field of nutrition perhaps more so than in any other area of medical science. A quick glance through the business pages of the phone book will likely reveal many nutritionists who claim to be qualified nutrition-related consultants. Some sports supplement consumers will undoubtedly wish to consult with a nutrition professional to individualize and optimize their supplement program. But to whom should one turn to for accurate, unbiased sports supplement advice?
A listing in the table does not imply endorsement for an included credential, as many questionable credentials have been included. Rather, the table features an array of possible sports supplement advisors, despite whether or not they are truly qualified.
In most instances, accreditation means that an educational institution’s course credits will transfer to another school. Accreditation does not guarantee scientific accuracy, but does demonstrate that the program is well organized. All respected educational institutions are accredited.
Some institutions grant degrees, such as BS, MS, and even PhD degrees, but are not accredited. And unfortunately, some dishonest individuals use titles that they have not earned.
Because certain titles are not legally defined in all states, the person bearing a given title mayor may not have obtained a degree through an accredited institution. For example, some states have reserved the title of nutritionist for practitioners who have completed an appropriate college degree, whereas in other states anyone can call himself or herself a nutritionist regardless of educational background. Fake degrees that have been accredited by phony accrediting agencies add to the confusion. A legitimate accreditation agency must be recognized by the US Department of Education. To find out if a degree is from a properly accredited institution, a person may refer to the Accredited Institutions of Post-secondary Education Programs Candidates, which is published by the American Council on Education. This directory is available at many libraries, and lists accredited institutions, professionally accredited programs, and candidates for accreditation.
Licensure refers to a particular state’s recognition of an individual’s competence. Competence is commonly determined by passing a state licensure examination. Licensing provides a way to ensure that practitioners have met minimal standards of education and experience. A revocation of licensure does not negate a person’s academic credentials. For example, an unlicensed medical doctor, although unable to practice medicine, can still use the designation of MD and, in some states, may still be able to provide services as a nutritionist. To find out if a nutrition practitioner is licensed in the state in which he or she practices, the consumer should contact that particular state’s health-licensing agency. A standard name for such an agency does not exist, so a consumer may have to search the state government pages of the phone book for the appropriate agency
Traditionally, the primary health professional who dispenses nutritional information is the registered dietitian (RD), which requires the completion of a bachelor’s or master’s degree approved by the American Dietetic Association (ADA). However, the distinction of RD alone may not be sufficient enough to prepare a dietitian to become familiar with all of the sports supplements because of its rapid progression. Therefore, an RD should ideally be a member of the Dietary Practice Group (DRG) for Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutritionists (SCAN), a section of the ADA having over 5000 professionals devoted to the application of sports nutrition. Becoming a SCAN member requires nothing more of the RD (or other ADA member) than paying a fee, but it does ensure that the RD has access to the latest scientific information in the field.
Other scholastically qualified individuals who may be good resources for scientific information on ergogenic aids include exercise physiologists, pharmacists, nutrition researchers, and physicians. These degrees alone are insufficient if the individuals have not specialized in nutrition as it relates to sport or if they have not actively and intensively self-studied such information. For example, the most desirable MDs and DOs for sports supplement consultation are those who have completed residencies in bariatrics (obesity), sports medicine, and endocrinology, or who have specialized in clinical nutrition. The academic/research degrees of BS, BA, MS, MA, PhD, and EdD offer expertise in any number of fields, from history to psychology and so on. Therefore, qualified individuals who hold these degrees should have specific backgrounds in biochemistry, nutritional biochemistry, nutritional physiology, nutrition, nutrition science, muscle physiology, exercise physiology, exercise science, or sports pharmacology.
The most common credentials of nonrecognized nutritionists are attained through certification rather than formal education. The difficulty of becoming certified varies greatly among the certifying bodies, but most certification organizations are not as rigorous as those that offer programs for becoming licensed. In fact, many certification organizations are correspondence courses that allow open-book examinations, which are graded liberally. In the past, some certifying bodies charged a fee in exchange for a fancy certificate, which led to household pets becoming recognized certificate holders.
Fortunately for the consumer, the days of unreliable nutritional consultation are numbered. The ADA has been leading a successful movement to restrict or prohibit unlicensed individuals from disseminating nutritional information. Essentially, the ADA is making dispensing nutritional information by an unqualified person analogous to practicing medicine without a license.
To summarize, the consumer can check the qualifications of an individual providing sports supplement information by first looking for the credential or degree abbreviations listed after the person’s name. Next, the reputation of the degree-granting institution can be checked through directories of accredited institutions. The consumer can also contact the health-licensing agency of the state in which the consultant practices to find out if the consultant meets the state requirements to advise clients in nutrition. To find out if a person is qualified as an RD, the consumer may contact the ADA.
cardiovascular, dietary practice group, health, nuteitional, physiolodists, Sports Supplement, wellness nutritionists
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