California has introduced legislation requiring identification to purchase muscle-building supplements including creatine and protein powder, raising concerns about potential future restrictions on these products.
According to sources, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the law mandating ID checks for anyone purchasing creatine, whey protein, and other muscle-building or weight-loss supplements. Buyers must be at least 18 years old to complete these purchases.
The requirement has sparked criticism, particularly since California prohibits election officials from requesting voter identification at polling places. “You have to show ID to buy creatine and protein supplements,” explained Dave Palumbo on a podcast. “But to vote, it’s not permitted to ask people to see their ID.”
The legislation covers a broad range of products beyond creatine, encompassing anything classified as muscle-building or weight-loss supplements. This sweeping scope has industry observers concerned about where restrictions might lead.
Creatine has long faced scrutiny despite being one of the most researched sports supplements available.
Palumbo also recalled an orientation session where an official warned against “any of that illegal substance” while specifically referencing creatine. The official apparently equated the supplement with anabolic compounds, demonstrating a common misunderstanding about the product.
Critics trace current attitudes about creatine partly to advocacy work by Don Hooton, who founded the Taylor Hooton Foundation after his son’s passing. Hooton’s organization received funding from Major League Baseball and other sports groups to educate young people about PEDs. However, some argue the foundation conflated safe supplements like creatine with genuinely problematic substances.
“Don Hooton started the Taylor Hooton Foundation,” one commentator noted. “MLB and other sports organizations gave him money. He paid himself 250 grand a year to wander around the United States lying about roids and scaring kids for no reason.”
The California legislation represents another step in regulating the supplement industry, though whether it will expand to include outright bans on certain products remains uncertain.
