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If you are a student or professional athlete, listen up. There is a testing program now available to help confirm that dietary supplements and sports nutritional products do not contain substances banned by many major athletic organizations.
Developed by NSF International, a global organization focused on protecting public health and the environment, this independent testing program is designed to minimize the risk that a dietary supplement or sports nutrition product contains banned substances when taken at the recommended serving size.*
NSF developed this program to meet the growing demand of athletes, coaches, and all those concerned about banned substances in sports.
The program certifies that participating manufacturers and their products meet NSF's stringent independent certification process guidelines, including:
NSF certifies products and inspects facilities for a range of substances identified by leading sports organizations, such as the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), Professional Golf Associations (both the PGA & LPGA), and Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES). These include stimulants, narcotics, steroids, diuretics, beta-2-agonists, masking agents and other substances.
Products certified by NSF conform to the highest consensus standards. From extensive product testing and formulation/label review to unannounced plant inspections, NSF is the only third-party testing organization to conduct a complete evaluation of every aspect of a product's production before it can earn certification. Ongoing monitoring ensures continued compliance to program requirements.
NSF does not sell products. However, companies that successfully complete NSF's certification program are allowed to use the NSF Certified for Sport® Mark on the product label. For an up-to-date list of products that have received NSF Certification, check the NSF website at www.nsfsport.com or download the NSF for Sport app.
You are taking a risk because there is no way to know if what's in the product matches what's shown on the label. Even worse, the product could contain banned substances.
For additional information about testing of sports supplements, visit the NSF Sport website, where you can also learn more about the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's Supplement 411 initiative.
*NSF has tested and certified that these products contain the identity and quantity of dietary ingredients declared on the product label and do not contain unacceptable quantities of unwanted contaminants for the recommended serving size listed on the product label. Exceeding recommended serving sizes may increase risk. Check with your health care provider before taking any supplement.
