In a market that moves as quickly as the dietary supplement industry, consumers have legitimate concerns that products do not really contain the ingredients listed on the label or may contain something that is not listed. Whilst for most people this is a concern regarding the quality of the product they are consuming, for athletes, this could potentially be career-ending.
The NSF Certified for Sport® certification is a recognizable, comprehensive and, most importantly, trusted mark for athletes 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 thorough quality and safety standards to ensure that cross-contamination does not occur.
The certification is the only independent third-party certification program recognized by a number of organizations including:
- United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA)
- Major League Baseball
- National Hockey League
- Canadian Football League
Certified for Sport® is also recommended by the NFL, NBA, PGA, LPGA amongst many other organizations.
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 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
Seeing the Certified for Sport® logo gives competitors peace of mind that they are consuming a product that is high quality and is going to contribute effectively to their development as an athlete, as well as being safe to consume.
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.