The purpose of the World Anti Doping Code is the creation of a level playing field (fair play) and to look after the health of athletes taking part in sport. It is important not to confuse the compliance criteria professional athletes, competing at a level where doping tests are conducted, with the general sport enthusiast and what they are allowed to consume. Professional athletes need to see anti-doping as part of their daily lives and it is essential that they understand all the complexities of the anti-doping rules and regulations (the principle of strict liability). Your general recreational sport participant still need to look after their health and what they can do to achieve better results, but don't have the burden of complying with all the stringent anti-doping rules.

With the industry being unregulated it means that it is an easy market to target for companies who want to establish themselves in the sport environment. This also means that the formulations and contents of supplements can't always be guaranteed. Contamination can easily occur and all quality measures are left to the supplement companies. The debate also continues as to scientific evidence whether supplements adds value and will create an advantage for those using it. The reality is that the overwhelming majority of elite athletes does use and want to use supplements. There might not be scientific research on final product formulations, but there is some solid clinically proven research on some of the raw ingredients used in supplement formulations. The debate as to effectiveness will continue, but where does the quality and risk issues leave especially professional athletes?

USN has a very simple 2-step policy on the use of supplements:

1. Assess the Need: Do you really need a supplement as part of your training regime - to recover better and bank the training, to hydrate, to speed-up muscle build, to speeds up weight-loss, or as convenience for not being able to prepare solid meals just before and after training. When you realise you do need a supplement or would like to trial the effect thereof, make sure you select the correct products to achieve your goals considering before, during and after training effects.
2. Assess the Risks: Once you decided which product will suit your needs best and that you can gain an advantage from it you will need to understand the risks involved. Professional athletes should ask all supplement companies certain questions on how they can help minimize the risks including how they source raw ingredients, manufacture, label, distribute and warehouse and ultimately sell their products. Also, how do they communicate the advantages and effects of their products?

In an unregulated market no guarantee can be given by any supplement company with regards to contamination against the Prohibited List of WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency), but certain steps can be taken to minimize the risks involved for athletes subject to drug-testing. USN will take the following steps to minimize the risk for all professional athletes:

• Raw ingredients are being sourced from reputable suppliers and a certificate of analysis issued on every batch
• Final products are not manufactured by USN, but by pharmaceutical laboratories who are MCC and GMP registered. USN's Research & Development team also conducts internal audits at the manufacturing sites to ensure a highly professional and clean environment
• USN conducts a high number of lab tests on final products to ensure labelling are 100% correct
• USN uses a 3rd party to do all warehousing and logistics. USN's operational partner specializes in logistics of the pharmaceutical environment and products are kept at the correct temperature, handling is limited to the bare minimum and transport is via safe and secure vehicles
• USN also employs specialists in the field of anti-doping, nutrition, sport science, quality control and research
• From manufacturing to the end customer there is an auditable chain-of-custody
• As a final safety net, especially for professional athletes, products are sent to HFL in the UK to undergo final screening against the World Anti-Doping Agency's Prohibited List

HFL Sport Science is an internationally recognised and accredited laboratory providing high quality testing for athlete healthcare and nutritional supplements. Their aim is to give athletes, coaches, and national federations confidence in supplement manufacturers and suppliers, and to provide analytical services relating to biomarkers of fitness and nutritional health. HFL's Informed Sport Programme is recommended as a process for teams and athletes by certain International Sporting Federations and UKAD (United Kingdom Anti-Doping) and uses internationally recognised standards in their testing processes.

It must also be noted that the Prohibited List is not defined by a 'number' of substances prohibited, but is an indefinite list as it states that 'any other substance with similar chemical structure or similar biological effect(s)' is also prohibited. The Prohibited List also states that any pharmacological substance which is not addressed by any of the subsequent sections of the List and with no current approval by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use (i.e. drugs under pre-clinical or clinical development or discontinued) is prohibited at all times.

USN advices all professional athletes to use only products tested through the HFL screening program if they compete at a level where drug-testing will occur. This supplement screening is batch specific and it is very important that only stock from the tested batches is used by such athletes.

Please contact USN directly for more information on the quality process and to enquire on products tested via HFL in the UK.