Essential Features of Third-Party Certification Programs for Dietary Supplements: A Consensus Statement

Curr Sports Med Rep. 2019 May;18(5):178-182. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000595.

Abstract

The presence of performance-enhancing drugs in dietary supplements poses serious anti-doping and health risks to athletes and military service members. A positive drug test, suboptimal health, or adverse event can ruin a career in either setting. These populations need to be certain in advance that a product is of high quality and free from performance-enhancing drugs and other banned substances. However, no regulatory authority conducts or mandates a quality review before dietary supplements are sold. Under the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act, the Food and Drug Administration does not have a role in the premarket safety review of dietary supplements. Due to the increasing demand for high-quality, properly labeled dietary supplements, multiple companies have stepped into this void by offering testing and quality review programs for dietary supplements. Each of these third-party programs has its own quality assurance program with varying testing components. It is difficult for consumers in the sport and military settings to assess whether a particular certification program reduces the risks enough so that they can use a product with confidence. This article puts forward the consensus of the authors on current best practices for third-party certification programs for dietary supplements consumed by athletes and military service members. Also discussed are important ways that third-party programs can develop in the future to improve access to safe, high-quality dietary supplements for these populations.

MeSH terms

  • Athletes
  • Certification / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Consensus
  • Dietary Supplements / standards*
  • Doping in Sports / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Doping in Sports / prevention & control*
  • Humans
  • Military Personnel
  • Performance-Enhancing Substances / standards*
  • United States

Substances

  • Performance-Enhancing Substances