Third-party certification logos on dietary supplement product labels are being misused, and you can’t rely only on the presence of third-party certification logos on the label. You also need to verify the dietary supplement and the batch you’ve purchased have been third-party certified by searching their online database of products or confirming with the third-party certification company directly.
Over the years, we have seen many examples of dietary supplements that have a third-party certification logo on a label even though that particular bottle was not part of a lot or batch that went through any certification process. Unfortunately, this includes several cases of misuse of the NSF Certified for Sport logo, where it was placed on the product label even though that bottle was not part of a certified batch. Most recently, the NSF Certified for Sport program published a notice about certain Gatorade products that had improperly used the NSF Certified for Sport logo on labels of product batches not certified by the NSF.
The safest way to identify and purchase an NSF Certified for Sport product is to visit the NSF Certified for Sport database and purchase the certified lot number according to the instructions and through the contact listed in the NSF Certified for Sport database.
The process for checking the product and batch number against the NSF Certified for Sport certified products database is explained below:
- Identify the product label and batch (also called the “lot”) number. Sometimes, the batch numbers can be found on the bottom of the product along with the expiration date.
- Download the NSF Certified for Sport app or go to: https://www.nsfsport.com/certified-products/
- Enter the product name, brand, or batch (also called the “lot”) number and click SEARCH.
- Check the search result product details and lot number to make sure there is a match.
- If you have questions, contact NSF directly.
Under strict liability principles, athletes are responsible for any prohibited substances in their body even if it arises from a contaminated dietary supplement. For this reason, athletes are encouraged to reduce their risk as much as possible by using NSF Certified for Sport products, but it’s important to remember that you cannot trust dietary supplement labels even if they display certification logos, including the NSF Certified for Sport logo. We strongly urge athletes to always check and verify their third-party certified supplements! For more information on reducing the risks from supplements, visit Supplement Connect here.
For more information or media inquiries, click here.