Creatine ban in California explained as controversial new law sparks confusion
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law restricting the sale of certain muscle-building and weight-loss supplements to anyone under the age of 18, with some creatine products potentially falling under the restrictions.
Set to take effect on January 1, 2027, the legislation has raised questions about which popular gym supplements will be affected and whether adults will also face changes when buying them.
Under the new legislation, products marketed for weight loss or muscle building will be subject to restrictions on sales to under-18s. When determining which products are covered, factors including how supplements are labelled, marketed and advertised can be considered, alongside ingredients such as creatine, green tea extract and raspberry ketone.
However, this does not mean every product containing creatine will automatically be prohibited.
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Instead, the legislation focuses on how a supplement is labelled, advertised and presented to consumers, rather than banning individual ingredients outright.
Will people need ID to buy creatine in California?
Retailers selling supplements covered by the new law will be required to verify a customer's age with ID if they cannot reasonably determine whether they are over 18.
For online purchases, sellers will have to verify buyers' ages through an approved third-party database or require an adult to provide identification and sign for the delivery.
This means even adults buying certain muscle-building supplements could face additional checks, despite being legally allowed to purchase them.
What happens if retailers sell restricted supplements to under-18s?
The bill is set to prohibit someone from selling or giving away an ‘over-the-counter diet pill or dietary supplement for weight loss or muscle building’ to any person under the age of 18.
Retailers and other sellers who breach the restrictions could face civil penalties of up to $500 per violation, according to Digital Democracy.
Study reveals how many teenagers are using weight-loss supplements
The legislation comes amid wider concerns about teenagers using supplements and other products to change their bodies.
A study published in JAMA Network Open analysed 90 previous studies involving more than 600,000 participants across 25 countries.
Researchers found that nearly one in 10 adolescents had used non-prescribed weight-loss products, including diet pills, laxatives and diuretics, at least once in their lifetime.
However, the study examined weight-loss products rather than creatine specifically.
However, the legislation has faced criticism from the supplement industry, with some organisations warning that its wording could have unintended consequences for products commonly used by gym-goers.
The Maryland-based American Herbal Products Association has publicly opposed the restrictions, questioning the scientific evidence behind them.
While the restrictions are set to take effect on January 1, 2027, exactly which creatine products will be affected remains unclear.
What is certain is that adults will still be able to purchase creatine, while teenagers could face restrictions depending on how individual supplements are marketed.
For gym-goers across California, the biggest change could be the introduction of age checks when purchasing certain products, both in stores and online.
