Few sports have their player’s athletic performance more dialed in than the NFL. As the money around the game has sky rocketed, players have become bigger, stronger, and fitter. This constant progression is thanks in part to improved conditioning and nutrition and dietary habits that allow players to relentlessly push for 1% improvements that add up over time. Although dietary supplement use is discouraged by the NFLPA, supplements in some form are likely used by the majority of teams and players. While you don’t hear much about tainted supplements in the NFL doping violations that come from supplements are likely still occurring. One reason we don’t know is that there are often scant details about the specific substances or supplements involved in NFL doping cases. As the NFL season finishes its first week we take a look at the problem in more detail.

A Glance at Tainted Supplement Cases in the NFL

Perhaps the most high profile doping cases in the NFL that involved tainted supplements came from a StarCaps weight loss supplement that was shown to be contaminated with the drug bumetanide leading to violations and suspension of six players in December 2008. This was one of the only instances where multiple player violations were linked to the same supplement product.

Another high profile NFL case involving supplements came in 2011 when Rams Linebacker David Vobora was awarded $5.4 million in a court settlement after it was found his dietary supplements were indeed tainted and were responsible for his positive drug test. Vobora was taking a deer antler supplement that was contaminated with methyltestosterone.

NFL doping cases that involve tainted supplements continue to occur with high-profile cases like those of Will Grier (2015) and Kyle Nelson (2018) putting a spotlight on the risks NFL players face when using supplements that may contain hidden banned substances. The most recent victim of supplement contamination appears to be Tashaun Gipson (2024) who is claiming a tainted supplement caused him to violate the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. Cases that involve tainted supplements carry significant suspensions, loss of enormous amounts of income, and can tarnish reputations. The NFLPA memo on supplements reminds players, “the NFL Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances is a strict liability policy — you are responsible for what is in your body.”

NFL Combats Tainted Supplements with Education and Third-Party Certification

While these cases serve as a cautionary tale for NFL players, the NFL has responded with education and third-party certification to address the problem.

Enhanced Education and Awareness

In 2016, the NFL took steps to educate players about the risks of concussions, hydration, and untested supplements. Their goal was to prioritize the health and safety of players, and part of that meant educating teams and their support networks about the right things to do when it comes to dietary supplements.

Third-Party Certification

In 2004, the NFL began the NFL/NFLPA Sports Nutrition Label Certification Program and licensing arrangement with NSF that included supplement testing for banned substances and was marketed with a seal that indicated they were certified to contain no substances banned by the NFL and NFLPA. The aim was to provide supplement options that had been tested by a third-party to significantly reduce the risk of players failing drug tests due to tainted supplements. As of 2011, the NFL has not been involved in certifying supplements but still directs players to NSF Certified for Sport product listings in their Supplements memo.

Transparency Questions It is possible that cases of tainted supplements are occurring in the NFL but are being handled more discreetlyor are not being reported in the same way. The NFL has been criticized by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in the past for a lack of transparency in doping cases. The NFL collective bargaining agreement does not allow the substance or nature of a doping violation to be disclosed. If a tainted supplement is involved the name and substance are rarely publicized, so nobody else can benefit from the information. The players are left to explain, or not explain, what happened. The NFL’s commitment to player privacy and its potential efforts to protect the league’s image could mean that these kinds of things are being addressed behind closed doors, away from public scrutiny.

Other Third-Party Certification Programs May Offer NFL Players Safer Supplement Options

Although the NFLPA directs players to NSF Certified for Sport products, that doesn’t mean the program offers the best protection available. Other leading international third-party certification programs may provide NFL players with a higher level of protection. Certification programs like those offered by Banned Substances Control Group (BSCG) offer some unique advantages. The BSCG Certified Drug Free and Informed Sport third-party certification programs require every batch to be tested, the NSF Certified for Sport program does not, which creates potential gaps in the protection. We are talking about the NFL here folks, we don’t want any gaps in the protection schemes.

BSCG Certified Drug Free Unique Advantages Third-party supplement testing organizations have played a crucial role in elevating the standard of supplement safety in all professional sports, not just the NFL. Built on a foundation of three decades of leadership in sport drug testing, BSCG was created in 2004 as an independent third-party certification provider focused on banned substance protection. Today, the flagship BSCG Certified Drug Free program requires a GMP compliance review and third-party audit, verification of label claims and contaminant testing, and comprehensive testing of every lot for more than 530 banned substances. BSCG’s industry leading testing menu includes 200+ drugs that other programs don’t cover maximizing the protection for athletes and consumers alike. BSCG’s Certified Drug Free program is internationally recognized by groups like the National Institutes of Health — Office of Dietary Supplements, UFC, U.S. DoD Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS), International Testing Agency, Canadian Olympic Committee, Sport Nutrition Dietitian Japan, LPGA, CrossFit, and more.

Third-party certification for banned substances is a vital consideration for all athletes and drug tested professionals and is the most effective means of avoiding the pitfalls of contaminated supplements other than abstinence. Looking for third-party certification seals on supplements is the first step, but verifying that the lot you are using has been tested in the program database is essential to ensure the protection applies to the product in your hand. Whether you are an NFL player, drug tested athlete, first responder, or military service member third-party certification provides an extra layer of protection you need to stay clean and keep your career on track.

Solving the tainted supplement issue requires many cogs to continue to work together. These include the likes of continued education, strict regulations, and the widespread use of third-party certified supplements which help to maintain the integrity of all sports and the health of all players. With the support of organizations like BSCG, NFL players can continue to perform at their best, confident that their supplements are safe, clean, and free from banned substances.