Troubleshooting Drug Free Sport AXIS

Drug Free Sport AXIS™ (AXIS) is everything the Resource Exchange Center/REC was, and more. Over the next year, AXIS will evolve and expand to address a wider range of topics pertinent to athlete health and wellness. However, we understand that a new name may come with some questions and confusion.  The purpose of this post is to outline some common questions and provide solutions to help you troubleshoot the new platform.

Best Practices for Logging in and Using Drug Free Sport AXIS for Dietary Supplement Inquiries:

1. Visit drugfreesport.com/axis and bookmark this webpage.
2. Login to AXIS using your designated sport organization’s password.
3. From the homepage, go to the “Dietary Supplement Inquiry” box—this is the picture of a water bottle.
4. If this is your FIRST time logging in you will need to enter all necessary information. Entries are confidential and used only to communicate our findings to a valid email address. We do not send personal information to schools/sports organizations. If you already HAVE an account, simply select the “Use an existing account” button to enter your email address—make sure everything is spelled correctly!
5. You will then receive an email from axis@drugfreesport.com. This email will directly link you into your AXIS account.  IMPORTANT TIME-SAVING TIP: SAVE THIS EMAIL IN A SAFE FOLDER IN YOUR INBOX FOR FUTURE DIETARY SUPPLEMENT INQUIRIES. DOING THIS WILL SAVE YOU TIME & ALLOW YOU TO ACCESS YOUR ACCOUNT 24/7 ON ANY DEVICE.
6. Follow the directions on the Dietary Supplement Inquiry Dashboard to enter and send supplements for review. NOTE: You MUST press the orange “Send Inquiry” button to deliver your message to our team. If you do not receive a confirmation email regarding supplement inquiry submission, you have not sent your products to our team!

Troubleshooting Issues with Drug Free Sport AXIS:

• ISSUE: You signed up for AXIS as outlined above, but have not received an email to access your account.
• SOLUTION #1: Check your junk & spam folders—these are usually two different folders.
• SOLUTION #2: If the email is not in your junk OR spam, contact your organization’s IT department to allow emails to be received from axis@drugfreesport.com and the “@drugfreesport.com” suffix.
• SOLUTION #3: If you have done these things and are not receiving the email, please call Anna Filardo (Education Services Program Manager) at 816-285-1429 or the toll-free AXIS hotline at 877-202-0769.
• ISSUE: You submitted an inquiry over 48 hours* ago and have not heard anything back from us.
• SOLUTION #1: Check your account and ensure that you hit the orange “send inquiry” button on the “Inquiries” tab.
• SOLUTION #2: If you did, in fact, hit “send inquiry,” please email us at axis@drugfreesport.com and include your Inquiry ID# in the subject line.

*Please note: If you submitted an inquiry after 5:00pm CST on a Friday, you may not receive a response until Monday afternoon.     

• ISSUE: You don’t see the medication you are taking in the “Prescription Drug Inquiry” database.
• SOLUTION #1: Type in the generic name of the medication instead of the brand name. If absent, try the brand name in the search bar. If neither the generic nor the brand name of the medication is listed in the database, see Solution #2 below.
• SOLUTION #2: Submit the medication as a “Dietary Supplement Inquiry” to our staff. Enter the medication name in the “Supplement Name” box, “Create & Add to Inquiry,” click orange “Send Inquiry” button. We will have our expert Pharmacist research the medication and report the status of the medication back to you within 24-48 hours.

If you are experiencing additional challenges with Drug Free Sport AXIS, please contact us directly at axis@drugfreesport.com or 877-202-0769. 

To learn more about NCAA's rules on permissible vs. impermissible dietary supplements view this webinar recording. 

Supplement Certification Programs: State of the Industry and What You Need to Know

Dietary supplement (DS) contamination is a growing concern amongst sports organizations, defined as adding ingredients unlisted on the nutrition label into the supplement. DS are growing in popularity amongst athletes of all levels. However, little is known about these items that are being ingested by athletes. What is really in this supplement and is it banned?  

DS have a lot of unknown variables, due to a lack of government or industry regulation. Most sports organizations do not condone the use of DS, with intentions of protecting an athlete’s health and safety. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently does not regulate DS; therefore, anyone can make a dietary supplement without content restrictions. Many DS can be contaminated with Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs), substances that act like steroids. Without knowledge of these ingredients, athletes perceive the DS as harmless. In fact, it’s often quite the contrary. SARMS are strictly banned by most sports organizations, with a positive drug test due to banned substances bringing many perilous consequences.

Third-Party Supplement Certification Programs are fighting to ensure that all DS are safe to use and true to their labels. Meaning, DS companies are not hiding banned ingredients in their products. An excellent educational option for third-party supplement certification programs is the upcoming Sport Exchange Summit, Powered by Drug Free Sport. John Travis (Senior Research Scientist, National Science Foundation), Dave Ellis (first President of the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association), and Dr. Dan Fabricant (Executive Director and CEO, Natural Products Association) will address the “what’s” and “why’s” of third-party supplement certification programs that are striving to clean up the supplement industry for athletes and general consumers. From the shared expertise of the panel, attendees will better understand the dynamics of banned substance testing, recognize products of concern, and begin to develop feasible approaches to help athletes make informed decisions about sports supplements.

Drug Free Sport’s Resource Exchange Center (REC) is the premier supplement review resource for NCAA, NAIA, LPGA, PGA Tour, USA Track & Field, and VADA sports organizations. The REC researches supplements submitted for contamination issues along with recalls, working to ensure health and safety of all of our clients’ athletes.

Don’t miss your chance to learn about third-party supplement certification programs at the Sport Exchange Summit, Powered by Drug Free Sport. Early-bird registration has been extended until the end of May! Register today at sportexchangesummit.com to educate yourself via industry leaders.

For more information on dietary supplement safety, visit dfsrec.com.