What does sport certification actually mean?
Answer
It means an independent laboratory screened a specific production batch against a list of substances prohibited in sport, and published the result against that batch number.
Key takeaways
- What does it mean?
- An independent laboratory screened that batch against a prohibited substance list and published the result.
- What does it not mean?
- That the product is effective, well dosed, or that the claims on the pack are authorised.
- How do I use it?
- Find the batch number on the tub and look it up. A logo on packaging is not the check.
What is actually certified
A programme takes samples from a production batch, screens them in a laboratory against a list of substances prohibited in sport, and publishes the result tied to that batch number.
The unit is the batch rather than the brand or the product line, which is why the number stamped on the base of a tub matters more than the logo on the front.
What it says nothing about
Whether the dose is meaningful, whether an active reaches a claim threshold, whether the claims on the pack are authorised, or whether the product is worth the money. A certified product can be underdosed and sold on a claim that does not exist.
None of the four products on this site is certified. Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate at 22p a day is independently lab tested for purity and UK made to GMP standards, which covers contaminants rather than prohibited substances.
Why small brands are often uncertified
Certification is a paid programme and at batch level the cost recurs on every production run. For a large brand producing continuously that is manageable. For a small UK brand producing a few batches a year it is a substantial share of margin. That is the honest reason the shelf looks as it does, and it does not change the answer for a tested player.
The full version
- Informed Choice, Informed Sport and the other certification schemesHow the programmes differ and which matters for a tested player.
- How to use a certification checker properlySearching the batch rather than the brand.
The product
Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate
Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate is the 300mg elemental one at 22p a day, a two capsule serving covering 80 percent of the 375mg reference value, UK made and independently lab tested for purity.
- 300mg elemental magnesium, 80% NRV
- Bisglycinate, best tolerated common form
- UK made to GMP, lab tested for purity
- Not batch certified for sport
Sharper Rugby is published by Futuro Labs. If you buy through this link Futuro Labs earns from the sale. Prices are set by Amazon.
Questions players ask
What does certification mean?
An independent laboratory screened a specific batch against a prohibited substance list.
Does it mean the product works?
No. It says nothing about dose, effectiveness or authorised claims.
Is a logo the check?
No. The check is the batch number looked up against the published result.