The Rise of Nootropics in Sports and Everyday Life
Oct 11, 2024
If you want to be smarter, the smart play is nootropics. These ‘brain pills’ are often seen as the gateway to better mental health and more money. So, rather unsurprisingly, they were worth over $10 billion worldwide in 2021, with more growth forecast for the future. They’ve powered up popularity among athletes and everyday folks who are all looking for that extra mental edge that’ll help them perform at their best. But as nootropics get more and more popular, there are some concerns about their safety, particularly in sports. With October 10 marking World Mental Health Day, it's important to highlight how mental wellness is a critical factor in performance, both on the field, in the workplace, and at home. While high-quality supplements can support your mental health, nootropics sometimes glide beneath the regulatory radar, which means you should be cautious before including these products in your wellness routine or adding them to your product skews.
Hidden Pharmaceutical Elements in Nootropics
Something that’s often overlooked is that nootropics can roll with a somewhat darker side. Many of these nootropics contain unapproved pharmaceutical ingredients, which can pose serious health risks. A study highlighted by NBC News found that certain nootropic products, despite their labels, contained pharmaceuticals that were not approved. The research suggested that taking untested combinations of unapproved drugs at unpredictable doses isn’t known. And what you don’t know can definitely harm you. People may believe that if they take double the dose, then they will be extra clever, but it will most likely only lead to unintended side effects, and athletes might unknowingly consume banned substances. This issue could even result in lawsuits against supplement manufacturers if the right evidence is in play. The problem is that nootropics are seldom tested for quality and drugs, leaving users vulnerable to contamination. Just because a product has the words ‘natural’ or ‘safe’ plastered all over its packaging doesn’t mean it won’t contain harmful elements.
Drug Testing Dangers: Nootropics and Unauthorized Substances
Nootropic supplements are more than capable of making someone fail a drug test, even when they believe they’re taking high-quality products. According to a comprehensive review in Drug Testing and Analysis, many nootropic supplements secretly have unauthorized ingredients that can be classified as very serious doping agents under the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) regulations. BSCG’s President, Oliver Catlin, was a co-author of this paper, which discovered a tremendous global variability about what qualifies as a legal ingredient in a nootropic supplement. The research outlines how substances like phenethylamines, methylhexaneamine, oxilofrine, dimethylbutylamine, sibutramine, octodrine, higenamine, meclofenoxate are just a few examples of nootropic ingredients that can create a positive drug test. It also examines other ingredients that perhaps could qualify as banned but are not yet included on the WADA Prohibited List. Athletes who take nootropics to enhance their cognitive performance may unintentionally violate anti-doping rules. These risks can be made worse if hidden drugs are in nootropics that aren't listed on the product labels, making it nearly impossible for anyone to know what they're consuming unless a product has been tested and verified to be free of drugs by a trusted third-party like BSCG.
Clean Supplements: The Safe Path to Mental Wellness
For anyone looking to upgrade their brain power, clean supplements that have been verified by a third-party provide drug free alternatives to unregulated nootropics that you can get from the unsavory corners of the internet. For manufacturers, all it takes is a single complaint that can taint the overall impression of your brand’s quality. BSCG’s Certified Drug Free and certified Quality programs are third-party certification programs that can provide trusted supplements that have been through a rigorous initial quality control and compliance review and are regularly tested for banned substances. These certifications ensure supplements are free from over 500 banned substances and verify compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). For brands, these seals are the ultimate way to advertise your commitment to quality so that your brand's reputation is held in the highest regard. With mental health increasingly recognized as a big player in an employee’s and athlete's performance, BSCG’s commitment to certifying the highest quality products creates the trust they need to feel safe taking these supplements.
A Call for Awareness on World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day is something everyone can get behind. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness about the potential dangers lurking in unregulated nootropic supplements. While nootropics might seem like the easy way to enhance your cognitive performance, the hard reality is often far more complex. Hidden pharmaceutical elements that increase the risk of doping violations can compromise a product’s quality and downgrade someone’s mental health. By taking third-party certified supplements that maximize product quality and integrity, people can prioritize their well-being without compromising their health or careers. There are many risks increasingly associated with unapproved substances in nootropics, which underscore the need for brands to take matters into their own hands through quality assurance programs like third-party certification. BSCG's certification programs are the safety net your brand needs to help your customers make the right choices for their mental and physical health.
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