The 5 Informed Programs: Which One Matters for You?
I get this question constantly — someone walks in and says "I need Informed Sport" and what they actually need is one of five different programs, all run by the same company (LGC). I've spent weeks digging through the databases, scraping product lists, and matching certifications to every product we carry. Each program tests for different things. Each serves a different audience. And they are NOT interchangeable.
Here's the breakdown — which program is which, what it actually tests, and which of our products carry each certification.
1. Informed Sport
What It Is
The flagship program. The one athletes care about. Informed Sport certifies finished supplement products specifically for use in competitive athletics.
What It Tests
- 285+ banned substances aligned with the WADA Prohibited List
- Anabolic agents, stimulants, narcotics, beta-2 agonists, diuretics, masking agents
- Emerging threats and new compounds added as the anti-doping landscape evolves
How It Works
- Product and manufacturing review — ingredients checked, facility quality assessed
- Pre-certification testing — minimum 3 finished product samples screened at ISO 17025 accredited labs
- Certification awarded — product can carry the Informed Sport logo
- Post-certification blind testing — LGC continues to randomly purchase and test certified products to ensure ongoing compliance
This is the critical difference from NSF: Informed Sport tests every single batch before release, and then continues blind testing afterward. It's not just a one-time check.
Who Needs It
- NCAA athletes (D1/D2/D3)
- NAIA athletes
- Professional athletes (NFL, MLB, UFC, NRL, AFL)
- Olympic-track / WADA-tested athletes
- Military service members
- Anyone competing in a tested sport
Recognized By
Formally recognized by UFC, NRL, and 100+ sporting organizations globally. LGC's testing panel covers substances banned by the NFL, NCAA, MLB, and AFL — so a product certified by Informed Sport is screened against those leagues' banned substance lists, even though those leagues haven't formally endorsed the program itself.
Our Brands with Informed Sport
- KAGED — 33 certified products (largest Informed Sport catalog we carry): Pre-Kaged Elite, Pre-Kaged Sport, Mindset, Creatine HCl, Citrulline, Hydra-Charge
- Raw Nutrition — 21 products: CBUM Isolate, Creatine, Grass-Fed Whey, EAA Plus, Beta Alanine, Vegan Protein
- Applied Nutrition — 24 products (ABE brand): ABE Creatine
- Cellucor — C4 Original (NSF Certified for Sport in US)
- EFX Sports — Kre-Alkalyn Powder, Kre-Alkalyn Capsules
Shop Informed Sport Products →
For a deep comparison of Informed Sport vs NSF Certified for Sport, see our side-by-side breakdown.
2. Informed Choice
What It Is
Same testing methodology as Informed Sport, but designed for lifestyle and wellness products — not specifically sport products. Think daily vitamins, greens powders, general health supplements.
What It Tests
Same 285+ banned substances as Informed Sport. Same labs. Same methodology. The testing is identical.
How It Differs from Informed Sport
The difference is positioning, not testing quality. Informed Sport is for products marketed to athletes. Informed Choice is for products marketed to health-conscious consumers who want banned substance assurance but aren't necessarily competing.
If you're a tested athlete and a product has Informed Choice but NOT Informed Sport — the testing is the same. You're covered. But Informed Sport carries more weight with athletic compliance officers because it's the sport-specific program.
Who Needs It
- Health-conscious consumers who want verified supplements
- Athletes who want assurance but aren't in formal testing pools
- Consumers in markets where supplement quality varies
- Anyone who wants to know what's in their product is what's on the label
Our Brands with Informed Choice
- Axe & Sledge — Greens, Hydraulic, Creatine Monohydrate, Endurance Carb, Endurance Hydrate, The Grind
- EFX Sports — Kre-Alkalyn Hardcore, Karbolyn Hydrate, Karbolyn Fuel
Shop Certified Safe Products →
3. Informed Protein
What It Is
A specialized certification exclusively for protein-based supplements. This is the program that addresses the amino spiking problem.
The Problem It Solves
Some manufacturers cut costs by adding cheap amino acids (glycine, taurine) to their protein powder. These aminos show up in standard nitrogen-based protein testing, inflating the apparent protein content. Your "25g of protein per serving" might actually be 18g of protein and 7g of cheap filler aminos. This is called amino spiking or nitrogen spiking.
Informed Protein was built specifically to catch this.
What It Tests
Everything Informed Sport tests for (285+ banned substances), PLUS:
- Actual protein content verification — does the product contain the amount of protein claimed on the label?
- Free amino acid content — are cheap aminos being used to inflate the protein number?
- Common adulterant screen — targeted tests for known protein adulterants
- Manufacturer facility audit — quality process oversight at the production level
Who Needs It
- Anyone buying protein powder who wants to know they're getting what they paid for
- Tested athletes using protein supplements
- Consumers tired of the amino spiking epidemic in the protein market
- Dietitians and coaches recommending protein products
Our Brands with Informed Protein
- KAGED — Protein Isolate Elite Series, Whey Protein Isolate
- Raw Nutrition — CBUM Isolate Protein, Grass Fed Whey Isolate, Protein RTD
- Axe & Sledge — Farm Fed, Whey More
For our full certified protein recommendations, see Best Third-Party Tested Protein Powders for Athletes.
The 5 Protein Categories
Informed Protein organizes certified products into 5 categories:
- Whey Isolate — purest form, lowest lactose, highest protein per serving
- Plant Based — vegan options (pea, rice, soy, blends)
- Animal Based — beef protein, egg protein
- Collagen — hydrolyzed collagen peptides
- Whey Blend — whey concentrate, blends, casein
4. Informed Ingredient
What It Is
Unlike the other programs that test finished products, Informed Ingredient tests raw ingredients before they go into a finished product. This is upstream supply chain assurance.
What It Tests
- Banned substances (same WADA-aligned screening)
- Ingredient identity verification
- Contaminant screening
Why It Matters
Even if a supplement brand is careful about formulation, the raw ingredients they source could be contaminated at the supplier level. Informed Ingredient certifies that the raw material itself is clean before it enters the manufacturing process.
Who Needs It
- Ingredient suppliers (companies that sell raw materials to supplement brands)
- Contract manufacturers who want to verify incoming ingredients
- Brands that want to build a clean supply chain from the ground up
What It Means for You as a Consumer
You won't typically see an Informed Ingredient logo on a finished product. But when a brand sources Informed Ingredient-certified raw materials, it adds another layer of assurance. Some premium brands will mention this in their sourcing transparency documentation.
Notable Informed Ingredients
- KSM-66 ashwagandha (found in products like Apollon Ashwagandha KSM-66) — certified since October 2022
- Various amino acid and raw material suppliers
5. Informed Manufacturer
What It Is
A facility-level certification. Informed Manufacturer audits the manufacturing facility itself — not specific products, but the entire operation where products are made.
What It Tests
- GMP compliance assessment
- Banned substance risk assessment at the facility level
- Cross-contamination prevention protocols
- Quality management systems
- Staff training and competency
Why It Matters
A product could be formulated with clean ingredients but manufactured in a facility that also produces products containing banned substances. Cross-contamination at the facility level is one of the most common causes of inadvertent positive drug tests.
Informed Manufacturer certification means the facility has been audited for cross-contamination risk and has protocols in place to prevent it.
Who Needs It
- Contract manufacturers who produce supplements for multiple brands
- Brands that want to verify their manufacturing partner's facility is clean
- Facilities that produce both consumer supplements and sports nutrition products
What It Means for You as a Consumer
Like Informed Ingredient, you won't see this logo on a product label. But when a product is made in an Informed Manufacturer-certified facility, the risk of cross-contamination is significantly reduced.
The Full Picture: How They Stack Together
| Program | Tests | Level | You See the Logo? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informed Sport | 285+ banned substances, every batch | Finished product | Yes — on label |
| Informed Choice | Same as Sport (wellness positioning) | Finished product | Yes — on label |
| Informed Protein | Banned substances + amino spiking + protein verification | Finished protein product | Yes — on label |
| Informed Ingredient | Banned substances + identity | Raw ingredient | Rarely (supplier-level) |
| Informed Manufacturer | Facility audit + cross-contamination | Manufacturing facility | No (facility-level) |
The Ideal Certified Product
The most thoroughly verified product would be made with:
- Informed Ingredient-certified raw materials
- In an Informed Manufacturer-certified facility
- With the finished product carrying Informed Sport (or Informed Protein for protein products)
That's three layers of independent verification — raw material, facility, and finished product. Very few products have all three, but the brands that invest in this level of certification are the ones athletes should prioritize.
How to Verify Any Product
All Informed programs use a single search database:
- Informed Sport: sport.wetestyoutrust.com/supplement-search
- Informed Choice: choice.wetestyoutrust.com/supplement-search
- Informed Protein: protein.wetestyoutrust.com/supplement-search
You can search by brand name, product name, or batch ID. If a product claims to be Informed Sport certified, you should be able to find it in the database. If it's not there, the certification may have lapsed or the claim may not be current.
FAQ
Are Informed Sport and Informed Choice the same thing?
The testing is identical — same lab, same 285+ substances, same methodology. The difference is positioning: Informed Sport is for athletic/competition products, Informed Choice is for wellness/lifestyle products. If you're a tested athlete and your product has Informed Choice, you're still covered — the testing is the same.
Is Informed Protein the same as Informed Sport?
Informed Protein includes everything Informed Sport tests for (285+ banned substances) PLUS additional testing for amino spiking, protein content verification, and common adulterants. It's Informed Sport plus protein-specific verification. It's MORE comprehensive for protein products specifically.
Can I trust a product that only has Informed Choice (not Informed Sport)?
Yes. The banned substance testing is identical. The only difference is that Informed Choice products are positioned for the wellness market rather than the competitive sports market. The testing quality is the same.
What's the difference between Informed Ingredient and Informed Sport?
Informed Ingredient certifies raw materials (before they become a finished product). Informed Sport certifies the finished product. They operate at different points in the supply chain. A finished product can be made with Informed Ingredient-certified raw materials AND carry Informed Sport certification — that's the gold standard.
Do all Informed programs test for the same substances?
Yes. All programs screen for 285+ substances on the WADA Prohibited List. Informed Protein adds additional protein-specific tests on top of the standard banned substance screen.
How much does Informed Sport certification cost for brands?
LGC doesn't publicly list pricing. It varies by product count, testing frequency, and geographic market. Contact LGC directly for a quote. The cost is significant — which is why not every brand carries it. The brands that invest in it are demonstrating a commitment to quality that goes far beyond the minimum.
Related: What is BSCG Certified Drug Free? | Informed Sport vs NSF Certified | GMP vs NSF vs Third-Party Testing
Shop All Certified Safe Products →
All Informed programs are operated by LGC, a global life sciences measurement and testing company. LGC has operated the UK's Government Chemist anti-doping laboratory and has been testing supplements since 2002. Information in this article is based on publicly available program descriptions from the wetestyoutrust.com family of sites.