Sports Nutrition Testing

Introducing HFL Sport ScienceElite sport is about the finest of margins. When it comes to nutritional supplements HFL understands there is no margin for error.

HFL Sport Science (HFL) is arecognised world leader in theprovision of sports anti-dopingtesting, including the testing ofnutritional supplements for prohibitedsubstances. With well over 300scientific publications on anti-dopingin sport and over 450 - man years ofscientific research, HFL’s expert staffprovide trusted scientific results forboth human and animal sports.

Our dedication to analytical scienceand athletic performance allows us toassist athletes in various fields ofhealth sciences such as SupplementQuality Assurance, Athlete FitnessTesting, and Nutritional BiomarkerAnalysis. With our cutting edgescience we have developed a truepartnership with athletes, sportsauthorities and sports nutritioncompanies alike, assuring ourreputation as being a TRUSTEDpartner in sport.

In December 2010, HFL became partof the global standards-settingcompany LGC Limited, a marketleader in forensic analysis, as well asdiagnostic testing and the provisionof reference standards.

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Supplement Testing and CertificationHFL has a long history in helping reputable supplementcompanies provide products that athletes can really TRUST.

Sports supplements can helpathletes to perform at the highestlevel but it is vital that athleteschoose those products that havebeen made, and tested, to thehighest quality standards. Researchhas shown that some supplementscan suffer from inadvertentcontamination with trace amounts ofsubstances that are banned for usein sport. Significant commercialbenefits can be realised by havingfinished products, raw materials orproduction facilities assessed andtested to ensure that each stage ofthe manufacturing process complieswith the stringent requirements forelite sport. Responsibility for thepurity of a product rests solely withthe manufacturer - even trace levelsof contamination can have significantconsequences. This requires asensitivity of testing way beyondroutine quality control systems.

Currently over 160 sportssupplement manufacturers inover 16 countries rely on HFLfor accurate, dependable results.

When you partner with HFL you getthe security of ISO 17025accreditation, WADA experience andexpert support for legal, marketingand media claims. The quality of ourresults can withstand the highest levelof scrutiny anywhere in the world.

Quality Assurance - Trusted Results

All of our testing is carried out to theISO 17025 standard - the keystandard for any analytical laboratory(accreditation for supplementanalysis granted in 2003 and heldcontinuously since that time). This ensures that if contamination existsabove the defined limits of detectionit will be identified and called

"positive". Laboratories that do notuse ISO 17025 accredited methodsfor supplement testing may call a"negative" result simply because theyare unable to find the contamination -not because it isn't there.

Chain of custody is the cornerstoneof HFL’s supplement testing services.All samples are tracked through thelaboratory with a state of the art LIMS (Laboratory InformationManagement System) – providingabsolute traceability across theanalytical process.

As the world’s largest commercialprovider of sports supplementtesting services, HFL analyses over

5000 supplement samples each yearusing a combination of gas andliquid chromatography, combinedwith mass spectrometry to achieveexceptional detection limits that aremeasured in parts per billion. All methods used are accredited to ISO 17025 and cover allformulation types: – powders – capsules/ tablets – gels – bars – liquids

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HFL’s INFORMED-SPORT andINFORMED-CHOICE programmesare certification programmes forsports supplements. They offer acomplete quality assurance systemfor sports nutrition products, as wellas suppliers to the sports nutrition

industry and supplementmanufacturing facilities. The programmes certify that allnutritional supplements and/oringredients and/or sites that use theinformed-sport or informed-choicelogos can be TRUSTED by athletes.

Products and sites that have beenthrough this rigorous certificationprocess are listed on the websiteswww.informed-sport.com andwww.informed-choice.org.

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How testing can help minimise crosscontamination with banned substances

A sports supplement company approached HFL with a range of products to betested. Analysis showed contamination rates in excess of 30%. Review of themanufacturing processes (provided by a third-party manufacturer) indicatedinadequate QC procedures in the control of raw materials and the managementof cross contamination within the manufacturing process.

The third-party manufacturer had been using a range of QC testing technologiesdrawn from the food industry. However , these were inadequate for thedetection of contaminants relevant to sport. The supplement company tookremedial actions, including changing the third-party manufacturer and carryingout regular testing of products. Contamination findings fell to less than 1%, andthis was maintained while the company increased its product line.

Customised Testing

HFL’s testing programmes for the analysis of supplements

• Product testing using ISO17025accredited analytical methods

• In-depth audit of the manufacturingquality controls, as well as theproduct label

• Pre-registration testing of products

• Post-registration batch testing ofproducts, prior to release for sale

• Logo use and Web Directory forcommunication and education

• Product testing using ISO17025accredited analytical methods

• In-depth audit of themanufacturing quality controls, aswell as the product label

• Pre-registration testing of products

• Regular post registration testing ofproducts

• Logo use and Web Directory forcommunication and education

• Bespoke Quality Control testing ofproducts and ingredients

• Testing using ISO17025 accreditedanalytical methods

• Specific batches of productstested on an “as needed” basis

• Option to list tested batches on theHFL website list

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Analysis is of no value unless it meetsthe exacting requirements of thevarious regulating bodies. As a sportsdoping control laboratory, HFL worksdirectly with National Anti-DopingOrganisations and other sportsauthorities and governing bodies. Asa result HFL is able to represent theviews of partners and assist in theshaping of future regulation.

HFL’s Informed-Sport and Informed-Choice programmes have the support

of many sports authorities around theworld, and are widely regarded asoffering the best practice standard forsupplement testing and certification.

Although no longer a WADAaccredited laboratory (WADAprohibits any of its accreditedlaboratories from providingcommercial testing services tosupplement companies), HFLremains part of this community andhas undertaken WADA-funded

research into drug detection in sport.The experienced staff at HFL alsocarry out regulatory testing at highprofile events such as the London2012 Olympic and ParalympicGames, helping to ensure theintegrity of sport.

Our experience within this eliteenvironment has provided us with a unique understanding of sportsregulation from a laboratoryperspective.

Relationships with Sports Regulators

HFL has a dedicated, committedteam of expert scientists, focusedentirely on the analysis ofsupplement/ ingredient/ swabsamples. We develop close workingrelationships with our Partners,providing free educational support tohelp in their understanding of

supplements and contaminationissues, as well as understanding theanalytical techniques used andresults interpretation.

As a sports doping controllaboratory, HFL is used to providingscientific data that is designed to

withstand legal scrutiny. As such HFL is able to support itsPartners in legal situations.

For this reason, HFL has becomewell known as the laboratory you canTRUST.

Free educational support, provided by experts

HFL Sport ScienceNewmarket RoadFordhamCambridgeshireCB7 5WWUK

Email: info@hfl.co.ukTel: +44 (0)1638 724400Fax: +44 (0)1638 724401

Suite 1601745 Alysheba WayLexingtonKentucky 40509USA

Email: info@hfl.co.ukTel: +001 859 721 0180Fax: +001 859 264 0371