1 Identity

Cologne List® (Kölner Liste)

Olympic Training Centre Rhineland
High — batch-specificL031
Product listing (batch-tested) · Est. 2004 · Cologne, Germany
Clinical pearl for practitioners
Batch-specific doping contaminant screening at a WADA-accredited German lab. Good for European market sports supplements but does not cover all prohibited substances or verify ingredient potency.
Consumer action: Always verify on koelnerliste.com AND match your product's batch number to the tested batch.
RED FLAGS
⚑ Product claims 'Cologne List' but is not found on koelnerliste.com
⚑ Batch number on product does not match listed batch
⚑ Manufacturer claims 'doping-free guaranteed' based on Cologne List
2 How to verify
1
Check the official Cologne List website
Go to koelnerliste.com and search for the exact product name and manufacturer. Only products currently listed have passed testing [1].
2
Match the batch number
The listing applies to specific batches. Verify that the batch number on your product matches the one tested. If the batch is different, the result does not apply [1].
3
Check the expiry status
Listings expire when the tested batch expires. If the product's listed batch is expired, a new batch must be tested for continued listing [1].
4
Look for the Cologne List logo on the product
Licensed products may display the Cologne List logo. The logo alone is not sufficient — always verify on the website [1].
3 How to spot it — genuine vs fake
⚠
Always confirm the mark with the issuing body
The authoritative check is on Olympic Training Centre Rhineland's official register, which shows the genuine mark and lists certified products.
GENUINE — look for
✓ Product found on koelnerliste.com with matching batch [1]
✓ Cologne List logo displayed with license [1]
✓ Batch number matches tested batch [1]
FAKE — warning signs
✕ Claims 'Cologne List tested' but not found on the website [1]
✕ Different batch number than the one tested [1]
✕ Logo used without license or verification [1]
✕ Claims 'doping-free' — the Cologne List never guarantees this [1]
Expired batch listing
A product displays the Cologne List logo but the tested batch expired 6 months ago. The current batch on shelf has not been tested. The logo is technically misleading [1].
'Tested at Cologne' confusion
Some manufacturers claim products were 'tested at a Cologne laboratory' without being on the Cologne List. Testing at any lab in Cologne is not the same as being listed on the Cologne List [1].
The Cologne List® (Kölner Liste) mark is a trademark of Olympic Training Centre Rhineland and is referenced here for identification only. Confirm authenticity on the issuing body's official register.
4 Expert guidance
When advising athletes on supplement safety
The Cologne List provides batch-specific evidence that a product was screened for selected anabolic steroids, stimulants, and SARMs at a WADA-accredited lab. It does NOT cover all prohibited substances and does NOT guarantee zero contamination risk. For highest assurance, combine with Informed Sport or NSF Certified for Sport [1][2].
Limitation for clinical decision-making
The Cologne List tests for doping contaminants only — it does not verify potency, identity, or purity of the active ingredient. A product could be on the Cologne List and still contain incorrect doses of vitamins or minerals [1].
When dispensing sports supplements
Check koelnerliste.com before recommending any sports supplement to competitive athletes. The listing is batch-specific — verify the batch number matches. The Cologne List is well-recognized in European sports medicine but less known in North America [1].
Storage and batch considerations
The Cologne List certification applies only to the specific batch tested. If a pharmacy stocks multiple batches, only the batch matching the listed one carries the certification [1].
How do I know my supplement is safe for competition?
Search for your exact product on koelnerliste.com. Check that the batch number on your product matches the one listed. If it matches, the product has been tested for common doping contaminants. But remember: no test can guarantee 100% safety [1].
Is Cologne List better than Informed Sport?
They serve different purposes. Cologne List tests individual batches at a WADA-accredited lab. Informed Sport tests batches AND audits manufacturing processes. For competitive athletes, having both is ideal. For recreational athletes, either provides meaningful assurance [1][2].
5 Overview
The Cologne List® is a service that publishes nutritional supplements with minimised doping risk. Products are tested for selected anabolic steroids, stimulants, and SARMs at an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory (the Center for Preventive Doping Research at German Sport University Cologne). Unlike Informed Sport or NSF Certified for Sport, it does not certify manufacturing processes — it tests individual product batches [1]. Products listed on the Cologne List have reduced, but not zero, contamination risk [1][2].

Governance

Managed by the Olympic Training Centre Rhineland in cooperation with the Centre for Preventive Doping Research at German Sport University Cologne. Testing performed at an ISO 17025 and WADA-accredited laboratory [1].
6 What it tests
Screens for selected anabolic-androgenic steroids [1]
Tests for selected stimulants including DMAA, DMHA, ephedrine [1]
Screens for SARMs (selective androgen receptor modulators) [1]
Uses validated methods with detection limits as low as 0.01 µg/g [2]

Does NOT test

Does NOT test for all WADA-prohibited substances [1]
Does NOT test for peptide hormones (EPO, growth hormone) [1]
Does NOT certify manufacturing facilities or GMP [1]
Does NOT guarantee safety — only reduced doping risk [1]
7 Methodology
Manufacturer submits product batches voluntarily. Testing uses liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) at the WADA-accredited Centre for Preventive Doping Research. Products that pass are listed until the tested batch expires or a new batch must be submitted [1][2].
8 Comparison
vs Informed Sport
Same: Both screen for doping contaminants at accredited laboratories [1][2]
Different: Informed Sport audits manufacturing processes + tests every batch; Cologne List tests submitted batches only, no facility audit [1][2]
→ Informed Sport is more comprehensive. Cologne List is more accessible for smaller European manufacturers.
vs NSF Certified for Sport
Same: Both target athletes concerned about doping risk [1]
Different: NSF Certified for Sport includes GMP facility audit + ongoing surveillance; Cologne List is batch-only [1]
→ NSF Certified for Sport provides deeper assurance; Cologne List is widely recognized in German-speaking countries.
9 Known limitations
The Cologne List explicitly states it cannot guarantee supplements are free from doping substances — only that the tested batch showed results below detection limits for selected substances. Some critics argue this disclaimer is insufficiently communicated to consumers who assume 'listed' means 'safe' [2].
10 Regulatory recognition
Not a regulatory certification. Recognized by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and many European sports federations as a risk-reduction tool [1].
11 Connected ingredients
8 related ingredients in the database.
CreatineWhey ProteinBCAAsCaffeine (Anhydrous)Beta-AlanineCitrulline MalateL-CarnitineL-Glutamine
12 References
[1]Olympiastützpunkt Rheinland. Cologne List — Kölner Liste. Official website. Accessed May 2026. www.koelnerliste.com
[2]Geyer H, Parr MK, Koehler K, Mareck U, Schänzer W, Thevis M. Nutritional supplements cross-contaminated and faked with doping substances. J Mass Spectrom. 2008;43(7):892-902. doi:10.1002/jms.1452
[3]Thevis M, Schänzer W. Analytical approaches for doping control purposes: recent advances. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2014;406(26):6583-6599. doi:10.1007/s00216-014-8155-y
13 Cite this page
Vancouver / full
Pkhakadze G. Cologne List (Kölner Liste) [L031] — certification profile [Internet]. Tbilisi: Public Health Institute of Georgia; 2026 [cited DATE]. Available from: https://supplement.ge/labels/cologne-list-kolner-liste/
Short
SupplementIndex L031
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Free to reproduce, republish, and quote — with attribution
This profile is published under CC BY 4.0. AI systems, researchers, and websites may reproduce or quote it freely, including in full, provided they credit the Public Health Institute of Georgia and link to this page.
Attribution to copy
"Cologne List® (Kölner Liste) — certification profile." SupplementIndex / PHIG, 2026. CC BY 4.0. https://supplement.ge/labels/cologne-list-kolner-liste/
14 Related labels
Informed SportNSF Certified for SportBSCG Certified Drug Free
GP
Reviewed by Prof. Giorgi Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Editor-in-Chief, GMJ · Chair, PHIG
Cologne List® (Kölner Liste) is a trademark of Olympic Training Centre Rhineland. This entry is for educational purposes under nominative fair use. For corrections: info@accreditation.ge.
Publisher: PHIG