The INFORMED-CHOICE testing specification has been developed based on the analysis of well over 8000 supplement samples over 6 years, as well as research into supplement contamination levels and analysis of positive drug tests within professional sport on a global basis. The detection limits indicated are considered to be those necessary to re-assure the athlete that they are not taking undue risks.

Testing Laboratories - Requirements:

Laboratories that offer support to the INFORMED-CHOICE Standard must be accredited to ISO17025 against the specification detailed below in each of the relevant supplement formulations (tablets, bars, powders, liquids, gels, capsules, etc).

This ensures that the laboratory is capable of consistently analysing products to the required specification, with robust methods that work to the required detection limits every time.

Test Substances (see table below):

All test substances are included on the WADA Prohibited List.

Substances may be included in the testing specification for a number of reasons, including:

* They are/were sold as a supplement e.g. androstenedione, DHEA
* They have been reported as a contaminant in a supplement e.g. 19-nor-androstenedione, stanozolol
* They have been the subject of widespread publicity linking them with adverse analytical findings and/or supplements e.g. THG, nandrolone
* They are widely available as a recreational drug and are potentially at a higher risk of being a contaminant e.g. cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy)
* They have been reported as an adverse analytical finding e.g. clenbuterol, strychnine, salbutamol, terbutaline
* They are chemically closely related to any of the substances above e.g. isomers, parent drugs, etc.

The range of substances included are reviewed regularly against current knowledge and intelligence, and updated as necessary.

* depending on the product origin (see below) 

The INFORMED-CHOICE program uses HFL Sport Science in the UK to carry out its supplement analysis. HFL Sports Science's standard supplement screening service tests supplements and/or supplement ingredients for a range of anabolic steroids and stimulants considered prohibited in sport. HFL Sport Science does not routinely test supplements or supplement ingredients for the presence of IGF-1 as peer-reviewed scientific publications indicate that IGF-1 is not absorbed via the gut following oral ingestion.

References:

1) H Kuipers et al. Effects of Oral Bovine Colostrum Supplementation on Serum Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Levels. Nutrition 2002, 18:566-567

2) A Mero et al. IGF-1, IgA and IgG responses to bovine colostrum supplementation during training. J. Appl. Physiol 2002, 93:732-9

The test sensitivity for all anabolic steroids in the standard HFL supplement screen is 10 ng/g (10 ppb). Androstenedione is known to be naturally present in milk and milk-derived products. The concentrations of androstenedione found in milk are variable, but are typically in the low ng/ml (low ppb) region. One reference (Gaiani et al, 1984) discussed values of around 3.5 ng/ml. For this reason, the presence of androstenedione in milk or milk-derived supplement products and/or supplement ingredients analysed using the standard HFL supplement screen is not reported unless the concentration exceeds 50 ng/g (50 ppb).

Reference: R Gaiani et al. Androstenedione and Testosterone Concentrations in Plasma and Milk of the Cow throughout Pregnancy. J. Reprod. Fert. 1984, 70: 55-59