From the Pharmacy to the Playing Field: Why Every Athlete’s Healthcare Team Needs a Sports Pharmacist

Authors: Emily Shears, B.Pharm, Grad. Dip ExSc, M.Ed, and Jessica Beal-Stahl, PharmD

Athletes often focus on training, nutrition, and coaching to improve performance and recovery. Yet one critical piece is frequently overlooked: medications and supplements.

This matters because the data is clear. Athletes frequently use certain medication classes at higher rates than their non-athletic counterparts, often without adequate oversight. Studies show that up to 75% of athletes use some form of medication or supplement, yet many report limited knowledge about the risks, interactions, or side effects. Lastly, a quarter of respondents in a 2024 BBC Sport study of elite British sportswomen said they take a contraceptive pill specifically to control the impact their period has on their performance, rather than for contraceptive purposes.

Suppose athletes are using these products to manage pain, improve sleep, regulate hormones, or treat allergies. In that case, they deserve the same expertise that patients in hospitals or communities already rely on daily, pharmacists.

Pharmacists are medicine experts, yet they are rarely included on athlete care teams. Their role is often reduced to dispensing medication to the majority, who see them only in this light. Still, pharmacists can do much more than advise on anti-doping or inform athletes about what they can and cannot take. Pharmacists bring far more to the table: supporting safe use of medications, guiding supplement choice, assisting with chronic disease management, and helping athletes balance health with performance.

That’s why it’s time to ask: why isn’t a sports pharmacist already a part of every sports medicine team?

What is Sports Pharmacy?

Sports pharmacy is the specialised practice of pharmacy that focuses on the use and education of therapeutic interventions, including, but not limited to, medications and supplements to optimise physical and cognitive performance, maintain sports integrity, and support recovery for athletes and physically active individuals across all demographics.

It extends far beyond anti-doping compliance. Sports pharmacists work as the bridge between athletes, physicians, dietitians, physiotherapists, coaches, and mental health professionals. They understand how medications, supplements, or therapeutic interventions interact with intense training schedules, fluctuating hormones, high stress, dehydration, unique nutrition demands, and even each other. 

Athletes face challenges that the general population does not: managing multiple medications (polypharmacy) in injury recovery, supplement contamination risks, side effects that impair performance, and gender-specific health considerations such as menstrual health impacts. A sports pharmacist is trained to anticipate and manage these complexities, ensuring athletes stay healthy and compliant while performing at their best.

Athletes and Medication/Supplement Use: What the Data Shows

Medication and supplement use are widespread in sport:

• Pain management is common, with overuse of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reported across many sports. 

• Mental health treatments such as antidepressants and anxiolytics (anti-anxiety) are increasingly prescribed to athletes, who face unique pressures both on and off the field.

• Asthma and allergy medications remain among the most frequently used in elite sport, with particularly high prevalence in endurance sports. Albuterol and salbutamol inhalers are popular treatments for asthma symptoms, both appearing on many prohibited lists for governing bodies or having strict usage parameters.

• Female athletes often use hormonal medications for contraception, PCOS, or

  endometriosis, which intersect with performance, recovery, and energy availability. 32% of female athletes feel that their performance was inadequately considered during counselling discussions with physicians about contraceptive choices. Athletes reported less frustration with their contraception choice when counselled in the context of sport.

A study by Sports Medicine Australia found that nearly 87% of athletes regularly use supplements. Simultaneously, another study revealed that of the 92% of athletes who obtained medications in the preceding 6 months, very few athletes (≈11%) correctly knew aspects of their institute's medication policy (e.g., requirement to consult a medical practitioner before taking certain meds), and many athletes rely on doping agency websites, all indicating gaps in medication knowledge and management. The survey also revealed that 80% of athletes feel underinformed about how medications affect their recovery and performance. Another study found that dietary supplement use among athletes ranged from 40% to 100%, depending on several factors, including level of competition, sport type, and the definition of dietary supplement use. 

These realities underscore the need for specialised oversight. Without it, athletes risk side effects such as dehydration, reduced focus, delayed recovery, or even disqualification from inadvertent doping violations.

Real-World Impacts: Case Examples

Pain Management

A female athlete presented with chronic pelvic pain from endometriosis, hip pain, and tendinopathy. The team, including a sports pharmacist, implemented a collaborative plan consisting of a low-dose amitriptyline regimen to target neuropathic pain, physiotherapy for pelvic floor dysfunction, and a tailored nutrition plan to control inflammation. Within weeks, the athlete’s pain score dropped from 8 to 3, enabling her to play all 11 games in the season. The pharmacist’s role in selecting the proper medication, at the correct dose, ensured performance and recovery were preserved without opioid reliance.

PCOS

Female athletes often battle with hormonal health and weight challenges with PCOS, which impact training consistency, recovery, and mental well-being. Sports pharmacists can evaluate the impact of oral contraceptives and hormonal and/or copper intrauterine devices (IUDs) or intrauterine systems (IUSs) on energy levels, iron status, and bone health, and align them with athletes' performance needs, while also consulting with dieticians to help with fuelling strategies to manage underlying insulin resistance. 

Mental Health

Antidepressants are available in several classes, including Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs); athletes are not immune to antidepressant use. Some antidepressants, depending on their classification and mechanism of action in the body, can have negative impacts on sleep, weight, hydration, and even thermoregulation. A pharmacist’s expertise helps recommend the best option that matches the patient, balances symptom relief with minimal interference in training or performance, and provides education on timing doses to reduce side effects during competition.

Asthma and Allergies

Athletes managing asthma or seasonal allergies often face performance challenges linked to medication timing or hormone fluctuations. For example, symptoms can worsen around the time of the menstrual cycle. A pharmacist can adjust inhaler strategies, reduce risks of overuse, and ensure compliance with anti-doping rules, all while supporting consistent lung function and performance.

Sports Pharmacy as a Growing Field

Sports pharmacy is an emerging discipline gaining traction worldwide. This need is being recognised and growing across academic and clinical communities, as evidenced by an increase in programmes training sports pharmacists and the expansion of pharmacists' roles in sports medicine, high performance, and athlete health and well-being. In 2022, the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and the International Sports Pharmacy Network collaborated to publish a comprehensive global overview of sports pharmacy practice and education.  At the 2024 International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS) conference, sports pharmacy was formally recognised as a vital discipline.  In 2026, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will launch its first cohort in a year-long programme leading to a Diploma in Sports Pharmacy. 

How to Bring a Pharmacist into the Team

If you’re an athlete, coach, or health professional, here are simple ways to engage a sports pharmacist:

• Ask the right questions:

  • "How could this medication or supplement affect training or recovery?”

  • "Could there be safer or better alternatives?”

  • "Is this medication or supplement allowed in my sport, or do we need a medical exemption/therapeutic use exemption?”

  • "Do I need to make any adjustments in my medications or supplements to optimise their effectiveness or in relation to training or recovery?

    
    

• Leverage pharmacist expertise in:

  • Medication reviews for optimisation, injury, illness, and chronic conditions.

  • Supplement safety checks to avoid inadvertent doping, interactions or subtherapeutic dosing.

  • Education sessions for athletes and staff.

  • Personalised health plans aligned with performance.

    
    

By inviting pharmacists into athlete healthcare, teams gain a specialist who ensures that every product an athlete uses – whether prescribed, over-the-counter, or nutritional –supports rather than undermines performance.

Conclusion & Call to Action

Sports pharmacy is about more than anti-doping. It is about keeping athletes safe, healthy, and performing at their best. From pain management to hormone health, supplement safety to recovery, pharmacists bring unique expertise that no other healthcare professional provides.

The evidence is clear: athletes are using medications and supplements at high rates, often without adequate oversight. Pharmacists are the missing link in bridging this gap and should be involved in all aspects of medication management, including prescription, dispensing, administration, and review. 

We believe it is time to formally include pharmacists on every athlete’s healthcare team. If you’re an athlete, coach, or healthcare professional seeking to integrate a sports pharmacist into your performance model, we invite you to reach out for collaboration. Together, we can establish a new standard for athlete care, one where health and performance coexist in harmony.

If interested in having a consult or working with a sports pharmacist, reach out to Emily Shears (https://www.instagram.com/thefemaleathletenetwork/ or https://www.thefemaleathletenetwork.com.au/) or Jessica Beal, at  (Jessica Beal Stahl, PharmD. (@jessb_rx) • Instagram photos and videos ) or www.theathletespharmacist.com

Emily Shears B.Pharm, Grad Dip Ex Sc, M.Ed, FASLM FANZCAP MPS (CredPharm MMR)

Founder of the Female Athlete Network, Emily is a sports pharmacist, exercise scientist, and educator.

Emily is a consultant pharmacist having obtained her Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of Sydney on a sports scholarship. Additionally, Emily has postgraduate qualifications in exercise sport science and a Master of Education. Emily is a highly driven and passionate health and wellbeing leader who practices holistically. Emily is Board Certified as a Professional with both the Australian Society of Lifestyle Medicine and the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine, a conferred Fellow of the Australian Society of Lifestyle Medicine (speciality: Nutrition, Exercise) and Fellow of Australia New Zealand College of Advanced Pharmacy (speciality: Generalist, Education); additionally, has obtained the IOC Certification in Drugs in Sport and due to commence the inaugural IOC Diploma in Sport Pharmacy in 2026.Emily actively practices as a pharmacist in the community setting, in addition to being a credentialled medication management pharmacist in GP practice alongside consulting engagements with several professional sporting organisations as a Performance Health consultant.  Emily is a firm believer that health should never be compromised for sport and that Everyone deserves to feel great and to perform well, no matter their chosen pursuit.

Jessica Beal PharmD

Jessica Beal is a clinical sports pharmacist and Director of Clinical Services at Hobbs Pharmacy, where she transformed traditional community practice into a comprehensive wellness hub offering hormone testing, pharmacogenomic services, and specialized compounding. As founder of The Athlete's Pharmacist, she works with athletes and teams from high school to Olympic levels, bridging community pharmacy innovation with elite performance optimization. Dr. Beal serves as Chief Health Officer of Sports Pharmacy Network, Member-at-Large of the US Sport Pharmacy Group, and co-hosts the international Prescription Performance Lab podcast. She lectures nationally on the female athlete, supplement safety, and the impact of medication on performance, while serving on the Medical Advisory Board for Who We Play For. A competitive master's weightlifter holding world records and international championships, she brings personal athletic insight to her practice. Dr. Beal is authoring publications and books advancing sports pharmacy while teaching pharmacology at the University of Central Florida. 

Blog editor: Dr Tess Flood

Blog administrator: Dr Jacky Forsyth