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Sports dietitian warns 'third-party tested' isn't enough for supplements
Michelle Arent, a sports dietitian from the University of South Carolina, told supplement brands at a recent conference that generic "third-party tested" claims aren't protecting college athletes. She wants clearer, more transparent partnerships with universities, arguing vague language puts athletes at risk for banned substances.
Michelle Arent, a sports dietitian from the University of South Carolina, told supplement brands at a recent conference that generic "third-party tested" claims aren't protecting college athletes. She wants clearer, more transparent partnerships with universities, arguing vague language puts athletes at risk for banned substances.
The architecture take
I've heard this a few times now, but hearing it from an Olympic sports dietitian like Michelle Arent changes the stakes. "Third-party tested" has always been the baseline for supplements, meaning someone outside the brand checked for contaminants or label accuracy. But for high-performance athletes, that just doesn't cut it anymore because of drug testing. What they need is explicit certification from bodies like NSF Certified for Sport or Informed-Sport, which screen for hundreds of banned substances specific to sports. This isn't just about avoiding a dirty product; it's about safeguarding careers and reputations, especially when it comes to things like peptides, which can be tricky to source cleanly. Expect universities to start demanding these specific certifications, pushing brands to get serious or lose a massive market segment. It also shines a light on how much consumers rely on these trusted labels, even if they're not facing a drug test themselves. This pressure from the top will eventually trickle down to what's on the shelf for everyone.