Herbs for Athletes: Performance Claims and Doping Rules
What WADA, USADA and NIH say about herbal supplements for athletes, which plants contain prohibited substances, contamination risk and what we could not verify about tribulus.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
If you compete in a tested sport, any supplement carries a risk of a positive test and of health problems. The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) says you always assume some risk of testing positive when you use supplements, because of how supplements are regulated. [1] The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) says the strict liability rule makes athletes responsible for all substances that enter their body. [2] Ask your sport's anti-doping organization and a clinician before using any herbal product.
Plants that naturally contain prohibited substances
| Plant | Substance USADA names | Status in the sources we read |
|---|---|---|
| Ephedra (Ephedra sinica and relatives) | Ephedrine, pseudoephedrine [1] | WADA lists ephedrine as prohibited above a urine threshold of 10 micrograms per millilitre (a regulator limit, not a use guide). [2] In the US, FDA banned ephedrine alkaloids in dietary supplements in 2004. [3] See Ephedra and Other Banned Herbal Ingredients. |
| Bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) | Octopamine [1] | Octopamine appears in WADA's stimulant list. [2] Synephrine is on WADA's 2026 Monitoring Program and is not considered a Prohibited Substance. [2] See Bitter Orange, Yohimbe and Other Stimulant Herbs. |
| Tinospora crispa | Higenamine [1] | WADA says higenamine is prohibited (as a beta-2-agonist) and is a constituent of this plant, found in some supplements. [2] |
WADA states that all stimulants, including all optical isomers, are prohibited, and then lists examples and exceptions. [2] The Prohibited List is updated at least annually; the version we read refers to 2026, and WADA says the newest list is published in October and takes effect on 1 January. [2] Always check the current list through your anti-doping organization.
Contamination and "tainted" products
USADA says labels can be wrong in several ways: a listed ingredient may be missing, an unlisted prohibited substance may be present, or batches of the same product may differ. [1] USADA also reports illegal stimulants such as DMAA and ephedra in some pre-workout or energy products. [1] NCCIH says some supplements promoted for weight loss, sexual enhancement and bodybuilding may contain prescription drugs or other ingredients not on the label. [4] USADA relays an FDA warning about those same categories. [1] Because FDA can act only after products are on the market, [4] a harmful product can stay on shelves for a long time. [1]USADA does not evaluate, certify, approve or endorse any supplement or company. [1] If athletes choose to use supplements anyway, USADA recommends only products certified by a third-party program that tests for substances prohibited in sport. [1] For how such programs work in general, see Quality Testing and Certifications and Adulteration, Substitution and Mislabeling. A "natural" label does not make a product safe. [4]
Tribulus and performance claims
Tribulus (Tribulus terrestris) is often searched with "doping." Proper evidence not found: we searched the USADA Supplement Connect page and the WADA Prohibited List page for "tribulus" and found no mention, and we did not locate an official source on tribulus and performance. That is not a statement that tribulus is allowed. Because supplement contents vary, even a product labeled only as tribulus carries the contamination risk described above. [1] See Tribulus.Frequently asked questions
Are herbal supplements banned in sports?
Most herbs are safe to use in sport, according to USADA, but some plants contain prohibited substances. [1]
Which herbs contain banned substances?
USADA names ephedra, bitter orange and Tinospora crispa as examples, not a full list. [1]
Is tribulus banned?
Proper evidence not found in the two anti-doping pages we read; ask your anti-doping organization.
Can a supplement be "USADA approved"?
No. USADA does not approve or endorse any supplement. [1]
Can contaminated supplements cause a positive test?
Yes, USADA says labels may omit prohibited substances that testing finds. [1]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Health risks that matter to everyone
- Herbs can interact with medicines, and some affect bleeding before surgery. [4]
- NCCIH says cases of acute liver damage in people taking supplements are rare but being reported more often. [4] See Herbs and Liver Injury.
- Side effects can be reported via the US reporting portal. [5]
References
- U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Supplement Connect. Available at www.usada.org. Read 2026-10-23.
- World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List. Available at www.wada-ama.org. Read 2026-10-23.
- NCCIH. Bitter Orange: Usefulness and Safety. Available at www.nccih.nih.gov. Read 2026-10-23.
- NCCIH. Using Dietary Supplements Wisely. Available at www.nccih.nih.gov. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements. Available at www.fda.gov. Read 2026-10-23.