Whilst there are regulations regarding the manufacture of dietary supplements in the United States per 21 CFR 111, in general the supplement industry is mostly self-regulated, meaning that supplements can be sold without any independent verification as to what is inside the container.
The NSF Certified for Sport® certification is widely recognized as a reliable indicator of product quality, safety and consistency, making it a trusted mark for consumers to look for when purchasing dietary supplements.
It guarantees that supplements are free from banned substances, contaminants and undisclosed ingredients. The program also evaluates manufacturers and suppliers to ensure they are following stringent quality and safety standards to ensure that cross-contamination does not occur.
Certified for Sport® is the only independent third-party certification program recognized by a number of sporting organizations including:
- United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA)
- Major League Baseball
- National Hockey League
- Canadian Football League
Whilst standard NSF certification ensures general quality, safety and manufacturing compliance, Certified for Sport® adds another layer of testing for substances banned in sport and requires lot by lot testing.
The certification program is rigorous and covers four main areas:
- Banned substance screening – verifying that the product does not contain any of the 290 substances banned by major athletic organizations, and also does not contain unsafe levels of contaminants
- Label and formulation review – ensuring the product contains what is listed on supplement facts panel both in terms of ingredients and dosages
- Facility and supplier inspections – guaranteeing that the product is manufactured at a facility that is GMP Certified and audited annually or bi-annually based on grade for quality and safety by NSF
- Ongoing monitoring – continuing to test every product lot that is manufactured to ensure products remain compliant
Whilst the certification holds obvious benefits for professional athletes it’s also a useful certification for anyone subject to drug testing for work purposes or just someone who wants increased confidence in what is in their supplement.
Seeing the Certified for Sport® logo means that as an everyday consumer you can have peace of mind that the supplement you are taking is safe, accurately labeled and free from hidden or harmful ingredients. The mark indicates that the manufacturer is regularly independently audited and means that the product in your hand contains the ingredients it says it does.
If you were looking to work with a company that has experience manufacturing products that hold the Certified for Sport® certification then get in touch with us.