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NCAA Banned Substances

Updated June 24, 2025

Download: 2025-26 NCAA Banned Substances

NCAA legislation requires that schools provide drug education to all student-athletes. The athletics director or athletics director's designee shall disseminate the list of banned-drug classes to all student-athletes and educate them about products that might contain banned drugs. All student-athletes should be notified that the list may change during the academic year and that updates may be found on the NCAA website (ncaa.org/drugtesting). They should also be informed of the appropriate athletics department procedures for disseminating updates to the list. Student-athletes should report use of all medications (e.g., prescribed, over the counter) to their primary athletics health care provider.  It is the student-athlete's responsibility to check with the appropriate or designated athletics staff before using any substance, including supplements and medications.

The NCAA bans the following drug classes:

  1. Stimulants.
  2. Anabolic agents.
  3. Beta blockers (banned for golf and rifle).
  4. Diuretics and masking agents.
  5. Narcotics.
  6. Peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics.
  7. Hormone and metabolic modulators.
  8. Beta-2 agonists.

Note: This is neither a complete nor exhaustive list. Any substance chemically/pharmacologically related to these classes is also banned. The school and the student-athlete shall be held accountable for all substances within the banned-drug class regardless of whether they have been specifically identified. Furthermore, schools should discuss and review student-athlete use of prescribed and over the counter medications. Examples of substances under each class can be found at ncaa.org/drugtesting. There is no complete list of banned substances.

Substances and Methods Subject to Restrictions: 

  1. Blood and gene doping.
  2. Local anesthetics (permitted under some conditions). 
  3. Manipulation of urine samples.
  4. Tampering of urine samples. 
  5. Beta-2 agonists (permitted only by inhalation with prescription).

NCAA Nutritional/Dietary Supplement and Medication Warning:

Before a student-athlete consumes any nutritional/dietary supplement or uses any medication, they should review the product and/or medication label with the appropriate athletics department staff. 

  1. There are no NCAA-approved nutritional or dietary supplements.
  2. Nutritional/dietary supplements, including vitamins and minerals, are not well regulated and may cause a positive drug test.
  3. Student-athletes have tested positive and lost their eligibility using nutritional/dietary supplements.
  4. Many nutritional/dietary supplements are contaminated with banned drugs not listed on the label.
  5. While third- party tested and low-level risk products may be options, complete elimination of risk is impossible.
  6. All nutritional/dietary supplements are taken at the student-athlete’s own risk.

Athletics department staff should provide guidance to student-athletes about supplement use, including a directive to have any product checked by appropriate athletics department staff before consuming. The NCAA subscribes only to Drug Free Sport AXIS™ for authoritative review of label ingredients in medications and nutritional/dietary supplements. Contact AXIS at 816-474-7321 or axis.drugfreesport.com (access code: ncaa1, ncaa2 or ncaa3).

Some Examples of NCAA Banned Substances in Each Drug Class

THERE IS NO COMPLETE LIST OF BANNED SUBSTANCES. DO NOT RELY ON THIS LIST TO RULE OUT ANY LABEL INGREDIENT.

Many nutritional/dietary supplements are contaminated with banned substances not listed on the label. It is the student-athlete’s responsibility to check with the appropriate athletics staff before using any substance. 

Drug Classes Some Examples of Substances in Each Class
Stimulants

Amphetamine (Adderall), Caffeine and sources of caffeine*, Cocaine, Dimethylbutylamine (DMBA; AMP), Dimethylhexylamine (DMHA; Octodrine), Ephedrine, Heptaminol, Hordenine, Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse), Methamphetamine, Methylhexanamine (DMAA; Forthane), Methylphenidate (Ritalin), Mephedrone (bath salts), Modafinil, Octopamine, Phenethylamine (PEA) and its derivatives, Phentermine, Synephrine (bitter orange).

* Sources of caffeine (e.g., Green tea extract, Guarana, Yerba Mate, etc.)

Exceptions: Phenylephrine and Pseudoephedrine are not banned.
Anabolic Agents

Androstenedione, Boldenone, Clenbuterol, Clostebol, DHCMT (Oral Turinabol), DHEA , Drostanolone, Epitrenbolone, Etiocholanolone, Methandienone, Methasterone , Nandrolone (19-nortestosterone), Oxandrolone, SARMS [Ligandrol (LGD-4033); Ostarine; RAD140; S-23], Stanozolol, Stenbolone, Testosterone, Trenbolone.
Beta Blockers (banned for golf and rifle)

Atenolol, Metoprolol, Nadolol    Pindolol, Propranolol, Timolol.
Diuretics and Masking Agents

Bumetanide, Canrenone (Spironolactone), Chlorothiazide, Furosemide    Hydrochlorothiazide , Probenecid, Triamterene, Trichlormethiazide.

Exceptions: Finasteride is not banned.
Narcotics

Buprenorphine, Dextromoramide, Diamorphine (heroin), Fentanyl and its derivatives, Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone, Meperidine,    Methadone, Morphine, Nicomorphine, Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Pentazocine, Tramadol.
Peptide Hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics

BPC-157, Erythropoietin (EPO), Growth hormone (hGH), Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), Ibutamoren (MK-677), IGF-1 (colostrum; deer antler velvet), TB-500.

Exceptions: Insulin, Synthroid and Forteo are not banned.
Hormone and Metabolic Modulators

Anti-Estrogen (Elacestrant, Fulvestrant), Aromatase Inhibitors [Anastrozole (Arimidex); ATD (androstatrienedione); Formestane; Letrozole], PPAR-d [GW1516 (Cardarine); GW0742], SERMS [Clomiphene (Clomid); Raloxifene (Evista); Tamoxifen (Nolvadex)].
Beta-2 Agonists

Albuterol, Formoterol, Higenamine, Salbutamol, Salmeterol, Vilanterol.

Any substance that is chemically/pharmacologically related to one of the above drug classes, even if it is not listed as an example, is also banned.

Information about ingredients in medications and nutritional/dietary supplements can be obtained by contacting AXIS at 816-474-7321 or axis.drugfreesport.com (access code ncaa1, ncaa2 or ncaa3).