title: Medications and Nutritional Supplements in Athletes during the 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cups.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the use of medications and nutritional supplements among top-level male futsal players during international tournaments.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective survey of the four consecutive 2000 to 2012 FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) Futsal World Cup tournaments analyzes data about the use of medications and nutritional supplements by each player prior to every match. A total of 5264 reports on 1064 futsal players were collected from the 188 matches played.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 4237 medications and 8494 nutritional supplements (0.8 and 1.6 per player per match, resp.) were prescribed, and 64% of the players used at least one type of medication over the four tournaments. The most frequently prescribed medication was nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (41.1%), whereby 45.7% of all players consumed at least one NSAID during the tournament and 27.4% did so prior to every match.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intake of medications, particularly of NSAIDs, is frequently high among top-level futsal players and follows a similar pattern to that found in FIFA Football World Cups. Campaigns should be instituted to understand this prescription practice by team physicians involving professional football players, with the aim to decrease its use and to prevent athletes from potential short- and long-term risks.
authors.affiliation: FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Medical School, University of São Paulo, 05403-010 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pedrinelli
authors.affiliation: FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Medical School, University of São Paulo, 05403-010 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leandro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ejnisman
authors.affiliation: FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Medical School, University of São Paulo, 05403-010 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fagotti
authors.affiliation: Fédération Internationale de Football Association, 8044 Zürich, Switzerland ; FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Center (F-MARC), Schulthess Clinic, Fédération Internationale de Football Association, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dvorak
authors.affiliation: FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Center (F-MARC), Schulthess Clinic, Fédération Internationale de Football Association, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland ; Division of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Geneva University Hospital, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Philippe M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Tscholl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D012916:Soccer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D055815:Young Adult