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Informed Sport
Informed Choice
NSF Certified for Sport
HASTA Certified
Informed Sport requires every certified product batch to be tested before sale. Informed Choice uses regular retail monitoring, including monthly blind testing. Both address prohibited-substance contamination, but an Informed Choice mark should not be described as proof that every batch was tested before release.
That distinction matters when a coach, team or competition preparation plan asks for evidence tied to the batch you will use. Start with the required evidence, then choose the product.
What do the programmes have in common?
Both programmes are part of LGC's INFORMED group. They include a product and manufacturing quality review and use ISO/IEC 17025 accredited testing methods. The official Informed Sport versus Informed Choice comparison explains their shared background and different schedules.
For shoppers, this means Informed Choice is a real certification programme with defined requirements. Calling it the same as an untested product would be misleading. Equally, using the two names interchangeably removes information that can matter to an athlete.
How do the testing schedules differ?
The Informed Choice certification process describes its ongoing retail sampling approach. Informed Sport's programme overview describes pre-release testing of every batch, supported by further monitoring.
| Feature | Informed Sport | Informed Choice |
|---|---|---|
| Main ongoing testing model | Every batch tested before release | Regular retail monitoring with monthly blind testing |
| Manufacturing assessment | Part of the programme | Part of the programme |
| Can you infer every batch from the mark? | Every-batch testing is a programme requirement | No |
| Useful buyer question | Does my exact product and batch match the record? | What does the product listing and available testing history establish? |
Do not turn the table into a ranking of whether a product tastes good or meets your nutrition needs. It compares testing arrangements. Those are only one part of choosing a supplement, though they can be a deciding part for a tested athlete.
Which one fits a requirement for every-batch testing?
Where your requirement is specifically for every batch to be tested before sale, Informed Sport is the matching programme model of these two. A monthly testing schedule does not mean that every production batch made that month was screened.
Consider a hypothetical product made in several batches during a month. A retail sample offers information about the sample and batch examined. It cannot, by itself, answer the same question about every other batch. This is an explanation of the sampling distinction, not a claim about a particular brand's production volume.
If your team has a written supplement policy, check its exact requirement before shopping. Avoid substituting "third-party tested" when the policy asks for a particular programme or a matching batch record.
Why can two products from one brand show different marks?
A brand can have multiple products, regional versions and certification arrangements. A programme listing needs to be read at product level. The brand logo on the front of a tub does not establish which programme covers it.
For example, Informed Choice's Dymatize Nutrition directory identifies ISO100 Hydrolyzed Protein Powder with a USA designation. That regional wording is a useful prompt to check formulation details rather than apply the listing automatically to every ISO100 product sold worldwide.
NZ Supps lists Dymatize ISO 100 Gourmet Vanilla, 726g. Treat it as a specific product to inspect against the relevant programme record. This guide does not verify the formulation or batch currently being dispatched, and it does not relabel ISO100 as Informed Sport certified.
How can you compare products without getting lost in logos?
Write down what the purchase needs to satisfy before opening several product tabs. For instance: the intended product category, an ingredient or format requirement, and the testing evidence your team expects. Keep those as separate lines.
Then ask whether each candidate meets each requirement. This prevents a familiar mark from distracting you from a different formulation, and stops a lower price from hiding a different testing arrangement.
If a shop page and pack image name different programmes, ask for clarification. Product images can be small or show earlier packaging. An official listing and a clear photo of the relevant pack give you better material to work with than guessing from a thumbnail.
Where can NZ buyers start?
The NZ Supps collection of products tested for sport is a starting point for comparing suitable options. Open each product's evidence rather than assuming every item in the collection follows one testing schedule.
For a closer look at one programme, read our Informed Sport buyer guide for New Zealand. If the other logo you are considering is HASTA, HASTA Certified versus HASTA tested explains another distinction worth keeping clear.
Keep a note of the exact programme name in your purchasing records. Six months later, "Informed tested" is much less useful than the product, programme and batch details you relied on.
Frequently asked questions
Is Informed Choice a fake or weaker-looking version of Informed Sport?
No. It is a separate certification programme with a different testing model. Assess that model against the evidence you need rather than judging the logo design.
Does monthly testing mean every monthly batch is tested?
No. A schedule for retail sampling does not establish that every production batch has been screened. Do not substitute one claim for the other.
Does Informed Sport mean every individual pack is analysed?
No. Every-batch testing concerns samples from batches. It does not mean each tub, sachet or bar is individually opened for analysis.
Can I choose by brand name alone?
No. Check the specific product, programme and any regional formulation information. A brand can sell different products with different testing arrangements.
Will either mark tell me whether a supplement works?
A sport-testing mark is not proof of a performance benefit. Assess the product purpose and relevant evidence separately from its prohibited-substance testing.
