Informed-Sport partners with Sports Dieticians Australia

Informed-Sport has signed a 12-month partnership with Sports Dieticians Australia (SDA) that involves providing athletes and dieticians with educational information on the issues associated with the use of dietary supplements in sport.

Surveys over the last decade have shown that as many as 1 in 10 dietary supplements targeted at sports people can be contaminated with low levels of substances such as steroids and stimulants prohibited in sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Informed-Sport is the globally-recognised risk minimisation programme managed by international science group LGC. More than 370 products from across the world are currently registered on the programme.

The use of sports supplements is widespread amongst athletes at all levels, including in Australia, the world’s second-largest market in terms of per capita consumption.

Athletes across the world continue to commit inadvertent doping violations due to contaminated supplements, so it is essential that athletes, their coaches and the people that advise them are adequately educated on the risks associated with them.

“As Informed-Sport grows within Australia, we are looking to guide athletes and dieticians on how best to manage the issues associated with supplement use, and how the rigorous requirements of the Informed-Sport programme provide a high level of quality assurance,” said Terence O’Rorke, LGC’s Business Development Director, Sport and Specialised Analytical Services.

O’Rorke continued, “We have an ever expanding number of Australian brands on the Informed-Sport program, and working with a credible organisation such as the SDA allows us to deliver important educational messages to both athletes and the general consumer.”

Melinda Jacobsen, Executive Officer, Sports Dietitians Australia, said, “SDA is excited to partner with LGC and Informed-Sport to educate its members and athletes on the value of an independent testing program that tests dietary supplements used by athletes for a range of WADA banned Substances.

“SDA believes the Informed-Sport certification helps athletes manage the ever present risk of contamination of dietary supplements with banned substances. Accredited sports dieticians are often an influential information source for committed athletes looking to use dietary supplements. With their role as a key knowledge gate keeper in this process, the partnership between SDA and Informed-Sport ensures accredited sports dieticians continue to be the most informed, credible practitioners with which to consult about an effective, low risk supplement plan.”  

The partnership covers the delivery of presentations on Informed-Sport by qualified SDA members across Australia.

In addition, SDA members will be able to download educational information on the risks of supplement contamination through the SDA members’ portal.