California to Require ID for Minors Buying Creatine, Diet Supplements

California to Require ID for Minors Buying Creatine, Diet Supplements

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Almost never, almost never, San Diego Discount Nutrition owner Freddia Evaristo said when asked how often teens come in to buy creatine.

Starting in January 2027, California will require minors to show an ID to purchase creatine and other dietary supplements under Assembly Bill 2030, KGTV reported. The law goes into effect in January of 2027.

The new legislation makes California the second state in the country to pass such a ban, following New York. The restriction covers products like green coffee extract alongside creatine, prompting stores across the state to prepare for mandatory ID checks.

Evaristo, who has spent 20 years selling supplements and is also a certified nutritionist, noted that he rarely sees underage customers attempting to purchase the products. He added that if someone looks to be 12 or 13 years old, they are turned away, though he doubts that situation has actually occurred in his shop.

If somebody comes in and they look obviously young, maybe 12 or 13 years old we’re not going to sell it to them, but I don’t know if that’s ever even happened, Evaristo said.

California to require ID for creatine and diet supplement purchases by minors starting in 2027

The recommended age is 18 and over, simply because the growth plates in the bones are not developed yet, Evaristo said.

Despite supporting age recommendations for physiological reasons, Evaristo questioned the practical necessity of the law given current purchasing patterns in his store.

Eating disorder advocacy groups and local mental health professionals view the issue through a different lens, pointing to growing concerns over youth body image and supplement misuse.

Allyson Ford, owner of Eating Disorder and OCD Therapy in San Diego, reported an increase in inquiries from parents and teenagers. We’ve recently had a lot of inquiries from teens and their parents, who have mentioned that the teens have gotten hold of their supplements, Ford said.

Ford also observed an uptick in younger male clients dealing with online body image pressure where problematic supplement use played a role. Oftentimes, when someone is having a really obsessive relationship with supplements, including creatine, they’re usually, that’s kind of like a snowball [effect], she said.

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