Informed Choice and Informed Sport Certified Supplements: Trusted by Athletes Worldwide

Athletes and fitness enthusiasts face a unique challenge when choosing supplements: avoiding products contaminated with banned substances. Even trace amounts can jeopardize health, performance, or eligibility in professional sports.

That’s why the Informed Choice and Informed Sport certifications exist. These globally recognized programs provide independent testing that ensures supplements are free from prohibited substances and manufactured to the highest safety standards. For athletes, these seals are more than logos — they’re essential for peace of mind.

What Are Informed Choice and Informed Sport?

Both programs are operated by LGC, a global leader in anti-doping and laboratory testing.

• Informed Choice – Designed for general consumers and fitness enthusiasts. Products are tested monthly for banned substances and manufactured in audited facilities.

• Informed Sport – Tailored for professional and elite athletes. Products undergo batch-by-batch testing and carry stricter testing protocols to meet the demands of competitive sports.

Why These Certifications Matter

Protection Against Banned Substances

Supplements have been linked to doping violations due to contamination or mislabeling. Informed Choice and Informed Sport certifications reduce this risk through rigorous testing.

Trust for Athletes and Teams

Many sports organizations, teams, and leagues recommend or require supplements to be Informed Sport certified. This ensures compliance with anti-doping rules.

Consumer Confidence

Even non-athletes benefit from the reassurance that supplements have been tested for hidden or dangerous substances.

The Certification Process

To earn certification, supplement companies must:

1. Audit manufacturing facilities for GMP compliance.

2. Test raw materials and finished products for more than 250 banned substances.

3. Undergo monthly product testing (Informed Choice) or batch-by-batch testing (Informed Sport).

4. List certified products in the public Informed-Sport and Informed-Choice databases.

   
   

How to Identify Certified Supplements

• Look for the Informed Choice (green checkmark) or Informed Sport (orange checkmark) logos on packaging.

• Verify certification through the official product databases:

  • Informed Choice Product Search

  • Informed Sport Product Search

• Be cautious of products marketed as “athlete safe” without certification.

  
  

Informed Choice vs. Informed Sport

• Informed Choice: Best for fitness enthusiasts and everyday athletes who want ongoing safety checks.

• Informed Sport: Best for competitive athletes who need stricter, batch-tested verification.

  
  

Informed Choice and Informed Sport certifications give athletes and active consumers a trusted safeguard against banned substances in supplements. By choosing products with these seals, athletes can focus on performance without worrying about safety or compliance risks.

For fitness enthusiasts and professionals alike, these certifications are powerful indicators of quality and trust.

FAQs

Are Informed Choice and Informed Sport certifications required?

No. They are voluntary, but widely trusted in professional sports.

Can non-athletes benefit from Informed Sport certified products?

Yes. Any consumer seeking high assurance of safety can choose these products.

Do NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Sport cover the same risks?

Yes. Both test for banned substances, though they are managed by different organizations.

Where can I verify if my supplement is certified?

Use the official Informed Choice or Informed Sport databases.

References

1. Informed Choice – Global Supplement Certification — www.informed-choice.org

2. Informed Sport – Trusted by Sport — www.informed-sport.com

3. USADA – Supplements and Risks — www.usada.org