The supplement industry doesn’t care about your rank, your career, or your paycheck.

It cares about profit — and too many service members find that out when it’s already too late. Whether you’re active duty, a veteran, or a first responder, one bad supplement choice can cost you everything you’ve worked for.

That’s not drama — it’s reality. Here’s how to protect yourself before it happens.

Understand the Real Risk

The supplement market is a free-for-all. Companies can legally sell products with ingredients that mimic steroids, hormones, or stimulants — all of which show up on the DoD’s banned list. Just because something’s sold in a big-name store or advertised by a “veteran influencer” doesn’t mean it’s safe. The FDA doesn’t test these products before they hit shelves. You’re the test subject.

If you serve, that risk isn’t worth it.

Learn to Read a Label the Right Way

Here’s what to look for before you even think about buying:

•  Avoid “proprietary blends.” That term means they’re hiding ingredient amounts — or worse, what’s actually in it.
  
• Watch out for big claims. “Anabolic,” “test booster,” “extreme pre-workout” — those words are marketing traps.
  
• Check every ingredient against the DoD Prohibited Substance List or the Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS) database.
• If you can’t find it listed as safe, don’t touch it.
  

 Use Trusted Resources

Your safest bet is education and transparency. That’s why we built our Unauthorized Gains Resource Hub — so you can check your supplements before you buy them.

Inside, you’ll find:

• Direct links to the DoD banned list

•  Ingredient breakdowns in plain English

•  Guides on reading supplement labels

•  Warnings about trending unsafe products and ingredients

We’re adding an Ingredient Checker Tool soon, so you’ll be able to paste any supplement label right into our site and instantly see if it’s safe.

 Or Make It Simple — Buy From Us

If you don’t have time to play ingredient detective, that’s what we’re here for. Every Unauthorized Gains product is:

• DoD-safe

• Lab-verified

• Transparent — no proprietary blends, no banned ingredients

• Tested by real service members and athletes

We don’t guess. We don’t hide behind marketing. We prove it. Because your strength should never cost you your career.