As Principal Technical Manager, NSF Certified for Sport, John Travis built and maintains the NSF Certified for Sport program, which certifies that what is on the label of products is in the package and that the product does not contain unsafe levels of contaminants, prohibited substances or masking agents.
Travis has more than 25 years of experience in analysis of target analytes and method development, utilizing techniques such as gas and high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. He analyzes hundreds of dietary supplements each year for various contaminants, emerging drugs and harmful compounds. His expertise in the analysis of prohibited substances in dietary supplements was instrumental in developing screening methods for the Certified for Sport program.
As new performance-enhancing drugs become available, Travis’ research helps NSF identify test methodologies to screen those compounds and ensure that certified products contain the ingredients and qualities as labeled without including banned substances or contaminants. In turn, this helps coaches, trainers and athletes make more informed choices when developing training programs.
Travis has been at NSF for nearly 30 years and is an active contributor to trade and peer-reviewed publications and review panels. He was a members of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) Presidential Task Force on Dietary Supplements.
He earned a degree in chemistry from the University Michigan and sat on the AOAC Presidential Task Force on Dietary Supplements.
His areas of expertise include:
• Banned substances
• Adulterated substances
• Product and ingredient testing
• NSF Certified for Sport
• Dietary supplements
• Laboratory analysis
• Analytical chemistry
• High-performance liquid chromatography
• Mass spectrometry.
Here, he discusses athlete’s needs for nutritional supplements.
Question: In general, what types of supplements/functional foods are elite athletes looking to consume?
Travis: Protein is still royalty in the supplement/functional food space for elite athletes. Nitric oxide boosters and hydration products are in demand too. In general, athletes seek supplements that improve performance or aid recovery.
Question: How can brands improve products to meet the needs of elite athletes?
Travis: Product quality is paramount for elite athletes. The product’s contents must be accurately portrayed on the label. Products must not negatively impact an athlete’s performance or eligibility to compete. Lastly, the product must be formulated with effective doses, such as those described in research studies on performance outcomes.
Question: What do nutritionists and dietitians look for in products to feel safe while suggesting them to athletes?
Travis: This may sound biased, but sports dietitians are looking for third party certification first and foremost. In fact, looking for the Certified for Sport mark on the label was a common theme at the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA) Annual Conference I recently attended. Sports registered dietitians are keenly aware of the pivotal role they play in an athlete’s success but recognize an athlete must be eligible to compete or all the hard work and sacrifice is for naught. Certified for Sport is their armor against risky supplements.
Question: What trends are you seeing in the dietary supplements market regarding sports nutrition?
Travis: An intriguing trend is an increase in interest of Certified for Sport for energy drinks. There could be several drivers for this, such as category perception, product differentiation and athlete demand. Protein continues to enjoy high demand from everyday consumers and elite athletes alike. Energy boosters like pre-workouts are popular and hydration products enjoy success. Protein, energy boosters and hydration products all solve an issue for athletes, so it’s no surprise they boast robust demand.
