IMPORTANT USADA Update

Be an Informed Athlete! USADA Launches Supplement411.org to Provide Facts about the Risks Involved with Dietary Supplement Use. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced today the launch of its new dietary supplement awareness website, Supplement 411, in an effort to meet the growing demand in the U.S. for accurate information, resources and guidance as potential consumers navigate the dietary-supplement marketplace. “The current marketplace has created a dilemma in which all athletes must balance their beliefs that these products provide a nutritional benefit, with the very real threat of the potential for dangerous health side-effects,” said USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart. Supplement 411 is the latest tool in a growing collection of resources including, publications, presentations, and online resources USADA provides to help parents, athletes, and athlete support personnel understand the risks associated with the use of dietary supplements and provide them the necessary information to make a healthy, informed decision. Supplement 411 provides an informational framework for understanding the issues surrounding dietary supplements, addressing important areas including: challenging the commonly held perceptions that dietary supplements are safe and effective; raising awareness of the risks in the dietary supplement marketplace; and providing guidance, resources and steps that can be taken to reduce risk as much as possible if an individual decides to use dietary supplements. USADA, along with other anti-doping entities, leagues and sport organizations around the world are often asked to provide definitive answers regarding dietary supplement product safety. “Education is key when making a choice whether or not to use a supplement. After checking out the new Supplement 411 website I got peace of mind from the 'Advanced Nutrition' section,” said Lauryn Williams Olympic medalist and World Champion sprinter, “Using reputable resources such as the Supplement 411 website can help you make the decision that is best for you.” Supplement 411 hopes to empower all athletes to make the best informed decision concerning supplement use. Supplement 411 will also list products that USADA has determined are of a higher risk to contain prohibited substances. The initial, and growing list, contains more than 100 products that either openly list ingredients on their labels, or have been tested and shown to contain substances, that are on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. USADA will update the list regularly. About USADA USADA is the non-profit, independent and non-governmental entity responsible for the testing and results management process in the U.S. for athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic Movement, upholding the Olympic ideal of fair play, and representing the interests of athletes. USADA is dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs .