1 Identity

Informed Sport

LGC Group (UK)
Third-party banned substance testing — every batchL004
Third-party banned substance testing — every batch · Est. LGC: 1842 (as Laboratory of the Government Chemist). Informed Sport: 2008 [1]. · Fordham, Cambridgeshire, UK. Labs in UK, US, Brazil, China [1].
Clinical pearl for practitioners
Informed Sport is the gold standard in European/international sport supplement testing. Same lab, same methods as athlete anti-doping testing. Every batch tested. Critical distinction: Informed Sport ≠ Informed Choice [1].
Consumer action: Athletes competing in international or European sport: require Informed Sport. Verify the specific product in the database. Do not confuse with Informed Choice [1].
RED FLAGS
⚑ Informed Choice logo used where Informed Sport is needed [1]
⚑ Product not in database [1]
⚑ Expired registration [1]
⚑ Self-applied 'tested' claims without LGC involvement [1]
2 How to verify
1
Find the green Informed Sport logo
Distinctive green rectangular logo with 'Informed Sport' text. Different from Informed Choice (which is monthly, not every batch) [1].
2
Visit the Informed Sport website
Official searchable product database [1].
3
Search by product, brand, or category
Enter exact product name. Confirm flavor and size match. Informed Sport is product-specific [1].
4
Confirm current registration status
Check the product shows 'Registered' status. Expired registrations are flagged [1].
5
Not registered — do not trust for sport
If a product claims Informed Sport but is not in the database, it may be fraudulent. Contact LGC. Athletes risk sanctions from uncertified products [1].
3 How to spot it — genuine vs fake
Always confirm the mark with the issuing body
The authoritative check is on LGC Group's official register, which shows the genuine mark and lists certified products.
GENUINE — look for
✓ Green Informed Sport rectangular logo [1]
✓ Product in Informed Sport database [1]
✓ Current 'Registered' status [1]
✓ Every batch tested [1]
FAKE — warning signs
✕ Informed Choice logo (different program — monthly, not every batch) [1]
✕ Product not in database [1]
✕ Expired registration [1]
✕ Self-declared 'informed' testing without LGC [1]
Informed Sport vs Informed Choice
Informed Sport: EVERY batch tested. Informed Choice: monthly random testing. Athletes should require Informed Sport, not Informed Choice [1].
WADA-accredited lab advantage
LGC runs a WADA-accredited anti-doping lab. The same methods used to catch doping athletes are used to test supplements. No other sport certification program has this direct connection [1].
European vs North American preference
Informed Sport dominates in UK/European sport. NSF Certified for Sport dominates in North American professional leagues. Both are equally trustworthy [1].
The Informed Sport mark is a trademark of LGC Group and is referenced here for identification only. Confirm authenticity on the issuing body's official register.
4 Expert guidance
For sport medicine
Informed Sport is equivalent to NSF for Sport in credibility. Its unique advantage: testing by a WADA-accredited anti-doping lab using identical methods. Preferred in European/international sport contexts [1].
Advising athletes
Informed Sport and NSF for Sport are equally trustworthy. European athletes and those in international federations (FIFA, UEFA, World Rugby, ICC) may find Informed Sport more widely recognized in their sport [1].
What it means
Every batch of this supplement was tested by the same laboratory that tests athlete drug test samples. The lab that catches doping is the lab that cleared this product [1].
Informed Sport vs Informed Choice
Informed Sport = every single batch tested. Informed Choice = monthly sampling. If you compete in sport, choose Informed Sport [1].
5 Overview
Informed Sport is a global quality assurance program for sport nutrition, operated by LGC Group — the organization that also operates the WADA-accredited anti-doping laboratory in the UK [1]. Every batch of a registered product is tested against the WADA Prohibited List before release to market. LGC's unique position: it is both the testing lab for Informed Sport AND a WADA-accredited anti-doping lab, meaning it uses the same methods to test supplements as it uses to test athlete urine samples [1]. This makes Informed Sport's testing particularly credible — the same lab catching doping athletes is testing the supplements [1].

Governance

LGC Group is a private company, not a nonprofit. However, its role as a WADA-accredited anti-doping lab provides significant credibility. Independent from supplement manufacturers [1].
6 What it tests
Banned substances: WADA Prohibited List screening using WADA-accredited lab methods [1]
Every batch tested before market release [1]
Manufacturing: GMP audit of facilities [1]
Label accuracy: identity and potency verification [1]

Does NOT test

Therapeutic efficacy [1]
Drug interactions [1]
Allergen testing [1]
Sustainability claims [1]
7 Methodology
LC-MS/MS and GC-MS screening in LGC's ISO 17025 / WADA-accredited laboratories. Same analytical methods used for athlete drug testing [1].
8 Comparison
vs NSF Certified for Sport
Same: Both test every batch for WADA-banned substances [1]
Different: LGC is a WADA-accredited anti-doping lab; NSF is not. Geographic preference differs [1]
→ Both top-tier. UK/Europe: Informed Sport. North America: NSF for Sport.
vs Informed Choice
Same: Same issuing body (LGC), same lab methods [1]
Different: Sport: every batch. Choice: monthly sampling [1]
→ Athletes: Sport only. General wellness: Choice is sufficient.
9 Known limitations
LGC Group is a private company, not a nonprofit — this is sometimes cited as a conflict concern. However, its WADA accreditation provides independent oversight of its methods and credibility [1].
10 Regulatory recognition
Informed Sport is a registered trademark of LGC Group. Unauthorized use is actionable [1].
11 Connected ingredients
33 related ingredients in the database.
CreatineNACL-TheanineTaurine5-HTPL-CarnitineL-GlutamineGlycineL-TyrosineTaurine (sport dose)BCAAsWhey ProteinBeta-AlanineCitrulline MalateHMBDIMColostrumL-Arginine+15 more
12 References
[1]LGC Group. Informed Sport Program. 2024. sport.wetestyoutrust.com
[2]Maughan RJ, et al. IOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(7):439-455. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2018-099027
13 Cite this page
Vancouver / full
Pkhakadze G, editor. LabelIndex: Informed Sport [L004]. In: SupplementIndex. Tbilisi: Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG); 2026. Available from: https://supplement.ge/labels/l004/
Short
Pkhakadze G, ed. LabelIndex L004. PHIG; 2026.
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
"Informed Sport — certification profile." SupplementIndex / PHIG, 2026. CC BY 4.0. https://supplement.ge/labels/informed-sport/
14 Related labels
USP VerifiedNSF Certified for SportBSCG Certified Drug Free
GP
Reviewed by Prof. Giorgi Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Editor-in-Chief, GMJ · Chair, PHIG
Informed Sport is a trademark of LGC Group (UK). This entry is for educational purposes under nominative fair use. For corrections: info@accreditation.ge.
Publisher: PHIG