Sports Supplements May Contain Hidden Banned Substances
Intended or Unintended Doping? A Review of the Presence of Doping Substances in Dietary Supplements Used in Sports
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Even 'Certified' or 'Verified' Supplements May Not Be Safe
Athletes might assume third-party testing or certifications guarantee purity, but contamination rates remain high across the industry.
Practical Takeaways
Use supplements from companies that provide third-party testing certificates (like NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport)
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Even 'Certified' or 'Verified' Supplements May Not Be Safe
Athletes might assume third-party testing or certifications guarantee purity, but contamination rates remain high across the industry.
Practical Takeaways
Use supplements from companies that provide third-party testing certificates (like NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport)
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2017
Authors
José Miguel Martínez-Sanz, I. Sospedra, C. Ortiz, E. Baladía, Á. Gil-Izquierdo, R. Ortíz-Moncada
Related Content
Claims (2)
Many sports supplements you can buy contain hidden illegal drugs that athletes aren't allowed to take. Studies found that between 12 and 58 out of every 100 supplements have these banned substances in them, which could accidentally make an athlete fail a drug test.
Many workout supplements and black market drugs don't contain what the labels say - they might have harmful stuff mixed in or be labeled completely wrong.