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| Substances that fall under the category of "Take at Your Own Risk" include supplements and herbal products. Because these substances are not regulated by the FDA and may contain substances not identified on the list of ingredients, they are considered to be "Take at Your Own Risk". If an athlete tests positive for a prohibited substance consumed in a supplement, the athlete will be subject to sanctions. Athletes are responsible for what they choose to consume, and must be aware that the consumption of any substance that is included in this category places them at risk of a positive drug test.
Please call the USADA Drug Reference Line at 1.800.233.0393 prior to purchasing any product.
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USA Swimming's Position on Supplements | |
In an effort to maintain the integrity of our sport and the safety of our athletes, USA Swimming has taken a proactive role in making athletes and coaches more aware of the risks involved in the use of commercially available dietary supplements that have been linked to enhancing performance. Along with the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), USA Swimming considers dietary supplements “take at your own risk,” placing full responsibility for any effects and repercussions on the athlete.
It is the role of USA Swimming to educate swimmers, coaches and parents on the issues of dietary supplements, including general and specific risks, normal values and toxicity, drug testing and drug interactions, stacking, and conventional dietary alternatives. It is also the role of USA Swimming to validate or repudiate via research review or sanctioned research the answers to the many questions that surround scientific and anecdotal evidence versus actual application. Any recommendations or opinions offered by USA Swimming regarding the use of dietary supplements are based on a yellow-orange-red light continuum Health & Contamination Risk Chart for Dietary Supplements and the most current publicly available scientific and consumer-specific information.
Claims made by the manufacturers/ distributors of dietary supplements regarding the effectiveness of their products are not stictly regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Any commercial dietary supplement is susceptible to containing substances that may appear on the Prohibited Substance list(s) of FINA and/or the IOC. The potential exists for commercial supplements to contain substances that do not appear on the product’s list of ingredients (see Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act for more information). Statistics indicate that in some cases, the use of legal dietary supplements has been linked to positive test results for prohibited substances in athletics.
The choice to use a dietary supplement is the sole responsibility of the athlete and one that should not be made in haste. An athlete is advised to weigh the options heavily, consider the consequences, and take responsibility for his/her actions.
Feb/01, rev:Jul/03
For specific information and/or questions regarding prohibited substances, please call the USADA Drug Reference Line 24 hrs/day at: 800.233.0393.
Please check our Supplements Database. This section enables you to search for information about specific supplements, read case studies (including examples of positive drug tests that allegedly resulted from the use of supplements), see claims that are being made regarding these supplements, and determine if there is scientific evidence to back up these claims.
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