Sport in Australia has again been rocked by allegations of the use of banned substances. Australian swimmer Shayna Jack recently tested positive for the banned drug Ligandrol.

 

A selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), Ligandrol was developed for the treatment of medical conditions such as osteoporosis; it aids the growth of muscle mass. The source of the drug in Ms Jack’s system has not been identified.

 

Re-emphasis, reiterate

Complementary Medicines Australia (CMA) is keen to reemphasise Australia’s commitment to well researched, responsibly formulated, evidence-based, high-quality screened and tested products.

 

Produced within strict government guidelines

Those choosing Australian made products can be confident that they are manufactured according to the highest standards. They are produced according to rigorous guidelines set by the government’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

 

Australian products are, in fact, more strictly regulated than those from the USA and even the UK. Manufactured to pharmaceutical standards under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), strict safety and quality regulations apply and are stringently enforced.

 

Is it a trusted Australian product?

Australian made products feature an AUST L or AUST R number printed on the front of the label. If these are absent, the product has not been produced within the exacting guidelines required by the Australian governmental departments. They do not comply with Australian quality standards.

 

Australian made products are also tested regularly and comprehensively to ensure that the ingredients on the label are those in the bottle. This together with a range of strict processes provide that consumers have access to 

 

Less confidence in online and overseas products

The ingredients, warnings, recommendations, contraindications and therapeutic claims are tightly controlled in Australian made complementary medicines. But this confidence does not extend to products bought online from overseas. These products are not subject to the same regulations as those enforced in Australia. CMA advises that purchases of this nature should only be made on the recommendation of a qualified healthcare professional or from a reputable retailer.

 

Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority 

Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) advises that no supplement is safe to use, and athletes should not risk their careers by taking a supplement. However, ASADA recognises that there may be circumstances where sports dietitians recommend supplements, or where athletes choose to use supplements.

 

In these cases, ASADA advises athletes to use supplements which have been screened for prohibited substances by an independent company, such as HASTA or Informed Sport. 

 

ASADA does not endorse any manufacturer of nutritional products. This would necessitate wide-ranging, routine and ongoing tests in place for every batch of nutritional products available for sale in Australia.

 

To find out more contact: media@cmaustralia.org.au 

or 

https://www.tga.gov.au/media-release/sports-supplements-australia