When athletes think of substances they are not allowed to ingest, they rarely consider a smoothie.
Posted several months ago, a sign at Trinity Cafe on East Campus warns NCAA athletes about the possibility of impurities in smoothie boosters that could violate NCAA regulations.
The sign notifies athletes that the impurities within the protein powder could produce a positive drug test.
As a precautionary measure, Duke Dining Services and Student Health Services requested that ARAMARK Corporation alert athletes about the situation. ARAMARK manages Trinity Cafe, among other campus eateries.
"We are not concerned and are almost 100 percent certain that these are not a problem," Franca Alphin, director of health promotion for Student Health, wrote in an e-mail. "However, because we could not get a disclaimer from the company, we felt that it was in the athletes' best interest."
Alphin was responsible for the sign being posted at Trinity Cafe.
There are no risks for athletes associated with the smoothies at Alpine Atrium or Quenchers in Card Gymnasium, Alphin added.
Their supplier issued a disclaimer confirming that there are no impurities in their smoothies.
Brad Berndt, assistant athletics director, said the smoothies at Trinity Cafe have posed no substance problems for athletes so far."I'm not aware of any positive tests for banned substances based on something that someone might have consumed in an on-campus eating facility," Berndt said.
The Department of Athletics randomly tests 25 different athletes, five to six times each year, he added.
"During our education session, we tell students not to put anything in their bodies that is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration because if it isn't approved, there's no telling what might be in that product," Berndt said.
NCAA rules limit what type of supplements college athletic departments can provide athletes.
Under those regulations, the NCAA limits the amount of protein that can be contained in supplements.
NCAA rules state that a product cannot contain more than 30 percent protein.
"The majority of positive tests that we see for steroids or other performance enhancing drug are coming from dietary supplements," said Andrea Wickerham, legal relations and policy director for the National Center for Drug Free Sport. "I think that will change over time, because many of the problematic supplements are coming off the market."
Most of the issues come from athletes who buy supplements at off-campus vendors, she added.
Wickerham recommended that athletes to consult the athletic department before consuming a questionable product.
About 13,000 athletes around the nation are tested every year for drugs.
The percentage of positive results hovers around one to two, Wickerham said.
An athlete who tests positive is able to appeal the decision to the NCAA Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sport committee. The athlete must have a conference call with the committee members, who include athletic directors, trainers and law professors from NCAA schools around the country.
Shortly thereafter, the committee renders a decision.
The committee hears about 25 appeals a year, but only about five are successful, said Wickerham, who serves on the committee.
At Duke, illegal substances contained in food do not seem to be a problem for NCAA athletes.
They meet with a nutritionist several times during the season to learn about healthy eating and exercise habits.
"The overall most important thing is that if you're not sure, be safe and don't eat it," said sophomore Rachel Shack, a member of the lacrosse team. "We have a list of what you're not supposed to eat, and most of the things you wouldn't take accidentally."
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