Messages using the Internet must be produced in a way that fits to the interests of those who wish to find information about alternatives to PEDs. Social marketing tools may also incorporate means that encourage an online community of alternative performance enhancement users to grow. This will increase the likelihood of information being passed on via
word of mouth. The importance of fact-based, accurate information is underscored by results from recent investigations that highlighted the considerable mismatches that exist between choices of nutritional supplement and reasons for their use among LY2228820 cell line diverse high-performing athletic populations [64–66]. Given the importance of nutrition and the expert support available for these populations, the lack of rationale behind their choices of supplementation is alarming. This position suggests that athletes’ perceptions of dietary supplements with performance-enhancing properties may be
made on questionable grounds such as limited and overemphasized information in the media and highlights the scale of piecemeal guidance, often PXD101 cell line dubious or incorrect, that is readily accessible by the user. This scenario may also be interpreted as a discrepancy between athletes’ choices, industry information, marketing and academic specialists regarding ergogenic aids. Whilst the multilevel causes of this disagreement involve a number of known parameters such as accuracy of marketing information, accessibility of scientific information, opinion leadership, price or availability, one additional key SYN-117 mouse determinant may be the moderating factor that influences the information process on the receiver’s end. The somewhat surprising result regarding the change in both explicitly expressed beliefs and automatic
associations might be explained by the potentially magnified interest. Previously, new automatic association has been found after a single exposure to a short written story [67] suggesting that a persuasive message Succinyl-CoA leading to newly acquired knowledge can create new or alter existing associations. Although not directly tested in this study, it is also plausible that the context in which the information was presented (i.e. recruitment for an exercise physiology trial testing the effectiveness of nitrate rich functional food on endurance), this new knowledge structure may also initiate implementation intentions, which have been shown to effect could promote control over implicit associations [68]. Regarding limitations, for practical reasons the study was conducted among users of a university gym in a large city. All participants were male within an academic community with associated levels of education. It also should be noted that the researcher collecting the data, although not friends with any of the subjects has had occasional contact with them and could be perceived as someone who knows about supplementation. Yet this further supports community based information.