Athletes and fitness enthusiasts often look for sport certifications to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the supplements they use.
Two popular and reputable organizations are Informed Sport and NSF, which are trusted by some of the world’s major athletic organizations.
In this article, we’ll cover who Informed Sport and the NSF are, how they test products, and the primary differences between each certification.
Informed Sport is a global testing and supplement certification program which provides assurance to consumers that products carrying the Informed Sport mark have been tested for prohibited substances and manufactured to high-quality standards.
Informed Sport tests every single batch of a product before it's released to market. After certification, it continues to carry out blind tests to further ensure the integrity and the safety of products.
Research has shown that some supplement products may be contaminated with low levels of steroids, stimulants or other substances which are prohibited by WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) and other sporting bodies. Studies have also found anywhere from 14% to 50% of supplement samples analyzed to have tested positive for anabolic agents or other prohibited substances.
Informed Sport aims to work closely with supplement manufacturers and suppliers by providing high-quality analytical testing and certified supplements to minimize the incidence of product contamination and banned substances finding their way into sport.
The Informed Sport program was established in 2008 by one of the world's leading doping control laboratories, LGC Assure. Although LGC has been testing supplements since 2002, it became clear that there was a need for a comprehensive certification program that not only tested products for banned substances but also ensured that manufacturing facilities had the highest quality standards.
Informed Sport certification is voluntary for supplement companies who wish to certify some, or all, of their products onto the program. Once certified, products can carry the Informed Sport logo or on-pack descriptor. Consumers who see the Informed Sport mark on a product can be assured it has undergone a rigorous screening program for banned substances in sport and is safer for use.
As the field of anti-doping continually evolves, so too must the methods of testing that Informed Sport conducts. It is continually developing and evolving screening methodology with ongoing research and development programs conducted by specialist supplement testing labs in the U.K. and U.S.
To provide assurance to brands and consumers, Informed Sport routinely screens supplement products (more than 22,000 samples a year) for over 250 compounds considered prohibited in sport and/or harmful to health. This includes substances like anabolic agents, stimulants, narcotics, beta-2 agonists, diuretics, and new/ emerging threats.
NSF is an independent and accredited non-governmental organization whose mission is to protect and improve global human health. It does this by leading the development of public health and safety standards and by testing and certifying products and systems to those standards.
While many third-party certification programs have only been in business for a relatively short period, NSF dates back to 1944. It started as the National Sanitation Foundation, evaluating the cleanliness of water fountains and lunch preparation equipment. In the decades since, NSF has expanded its scope to a broad range of public health and safety-based risk management solutions. Globally, the company employs 2,700 specialists that includes microbiologists, toxicologists, and chemists who pursue a science-based approach.
Since coming up with the gold standard certification program for dietary supplements, NSF/ANSI 173, NSF went even further. It introduced the NSF Certified for Sport initiative, which helps athletes, coaches, and sports dietitians make safer decisions about sports supplements and nutrition products. Criteria includes making sure a product doesn’t contain any of the 290 substances banned by most governing bodies, reconciling what’s on the label with what’s actually in the package, and guaranteeing that there are no harmful contaminants present.
NSF Certified for Sport is the only independent third-party organization recognized by USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency), Major League Baseball, and the National Hockey League. It is also recognized by major athletic organizations such as the NFL, NBA, PGA, NASCAR, and Ironman.
NSF Certified for Sport testing is a three-stage process that involves:
Informed Sport and NSF both have strong reputations for being the world’s leading third-party certification programs using processes that are grounded in science-led screening, research, development, and testing. The key differences between them largely lie in their respective histories and areas of specialty.
Informed Sport is solely focused on testing products intended for use in competitive sports. Products are tested in its anti-doping laboratory for contamination against a wide range of banned substances in sport. It is a process that has been developed with 60 years of expertise in anti-doping in sport to provide athletes, coaches, and consumers with 100% confidence in products bearing its mark.
NSF, with its origins in public health and sanitation, has a broader scope and tests not just products intended for use in sports, but also functional foods, cosmetics, and personal care products. Its Certified for Sport certification process is its sports-specific testing program.
| Parameter | Informed Sport | NSF Certified for Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Year Formed | 2008 | 2005 |
| Professional Organizations Tested For | NFL, NCAA, MLB, AFL, UFC, NRL | USADA, MLB, NHL, CFL, NFL, NBA, PGA, LPGA, NASCAR, Ironman |
| Certification Process | Four-step process: 1. Product and manufacturing review 2. Pre-certification safety testing 3. Product certification 4. Post-certification requirements and testing | Three-step process: 1. GMP certification 2. Contents tested and certified 3. Production lots tested |
| Number of Substances Tested For | ~250 | 290 |
Momentous is passionate about bringing to market products that are pure, potent, science-backed, and curated by experts. The Momentous Standard is our code that guides every decision we make.
We use the highest-quality ingredients possible and formulate products using the latest science on effective dosing. Nothing is hidden behind vague or mysterious labels like “proprietary blends” or mystery titles; if it’s in our formula, it’s on the label. We source from the highest-quality partners, conducting rigorous reviews and audits of their production practices. It is extremely important to us that we deliver what we say we will, which is why many products in our portfolio are both NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Sport Certified.
If one of our products doesn't carry a certification, it doesn't mean it's of a lower-quality—we’re incredibly passionate about our sourcing. It just means the nature of some products often makes them ineligible for NSF and Informed Sport certifications. We always advise customers, especially athletes, to look for the certification logo on our product pages or contact us directly with any questions.
Whether your goal is to be an elite athlete or to lead a healthy, active lifestyle, we know that what you put into your body matters.
We think going the extra mile by getting NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Sport certifications is worth the extra work. We believe that these logos on our packaging prove we're willing to work just as hard as you to reach peak performance.
As strength training expert and Momentous advisor Tim Caron says:
“NSF provides a service that makes companies hold themselves to a higher standard and the process to go through that is very rigorous. Having that peace of mind knowing that a company went that extra step to really follow through, has integrity, and makes sure they’re providing really high-quality products makes a big difference. As an athlete or someone who’s competitive, NSF certification is something you should really look for in your supplements.”
Emma-Kate Lidbury is a freelance writer and editor with 20 years of experience working in the health and fitness world.
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