Athletics Veritas is a weekly series aimed at helping higher education executives, faculty, and other stakeholders stay tuned in on trending national issues impacting college athletics, especially NCAA Division I. Athletics Veritas is created by senior DI athletic administrators around the nation.
Term-in-Ology: Nutritional Supplements
An institution may provide permissible nutritional supplements to a student-athlete for the purpose of providing additional calories and electrolytes.
Permissible nutritional supplements do not contain any NCAA banned substances and are identified according to the following classes: carbohydrate/electrolyte drinks, energy bars, carbohydrate boosters, protein supplements, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals.
The NCAA Sport Science Institute’s homepage states that “before consuming any nutritional/dietary supplement product, review the product and its label with your athletics department staff. Many nutritional/dietary supplements are contaminated with banned substances not listed on the label.”
Additional guidance and reminders for student-athletes on nutritional supplements include:
Nutritional/Dietary supplements, including vitamins and minerals, are not well regulated and may cause a positive drug test.
Student-athletes have tested positive and lost their eligibility using nutritional/dietary supplements.
Many nutritional/dietary supplements are contaminated with banned substances not listed on the label.
Any product containing a nutritional/dietary supplement ingredient is taken at your own risk.
Athletics Veritas is presented for information purposes only and should not be considered advice or counsel on NCAA compliance matters. For guidance on NCAA rules and processes, always consult your university’s athletics compliance office, conference office, and/or the NCAA.
