As a professional athlete, it is crucial to ensure that the supplements and other performance enhancers used are safe, legal and permitted by the governing bodies. Choosing the right third-party certification program for supplements is important. When it comes to supplement certifications, two programs are often compared, Informed Sport, and NSF. Though both are reputed organizations, there are some key differences between the two that can affect an athlete’s choice.
Informed Sport is an international certification program that tests dietary supplements and ingredients for banned substances commonly found in sport. Their program is designed to ensure the safety of supplements and minimize the risk of contamination. Informed Sport is recognized by many leading sports organizations, including the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), National Football League (NFL), and Major League Soccer (MLS), which all rely on Informed Sport’s testing and certification.
On the other hand, NSF International is a non-profit organization that certifies supplements based on strict regulatory standards. The NSF certification indicates that the supplement has been tested and found to comply with established safety and efficacy benchmarks. NSF’s certification program is among the most well-respected in the supplement industry. They’re often recognized by authorities such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for their accuracy and integrity.
One of the key differences between the two certifications is the testing process. Informed Sport relies on batch testing, which involves selecting random samples from a batch of supplements. The samples undergo comprehensive testing to identify any banned substances or contaminants that could harm the athlete. This method often requires more significant resources than sample testing, but it does provide a higher degree of confidence in the results.
NSF’s testing process focuses on verifying the label claim of the supplement and ensuring that it meets regulatory standards. Testing batches will provide the same level of quality assurance across the entire batch. This method eliminates the risk of some of the batch being contaminated while meeting label claims.
Another difference between the two certifications is accessibility. Informed Sport’s program is available worldwide and has many partners around the world. In contrast, NSF International operates primarily in the US but is recognized worldwide. For athletes who train and compete internationally, Informed Sport may be a better choice because it is recognized by various international sports federations, while NSF is not.
In conclusion, both Informed Sport and NSF are excellent choices for athletes looking to certify their supplements. Each program offers its own unique testing protocol and certification standards. Deciding which one to use largely depends on the athletes’ needs, where they compete, and the supplements they take. While Informed Sport may be an excellent choice for athletes who compete internationally, NSF may be more suitable for those who compete domestically. Either way, both certifications provide guarantee that the products are safe, legal, and won’t cause any negative impacts on the athlete’s performance or health.
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