Can I buy workout supplements with HSA? Your Guide to Eligibility

November 19, 2025 •

4 min read

According to IRS Publication 502, medical expenses must primarily alleviate or prevent a physical or mental illness, excluding items merely beneficial to general health. This critical distinction is why you must understand the rules before trying to buy workout supplements with HSA funds.

Quick Summary

Using a Health Savings Account for workout supplements is generally prohibited by IRS rules, which require a specific medical condition for eligibility. Exceptions and requirements, including a Letter of Medical Necessity, must be strictly followed to avoid penalties.

Key Points

Medical Necessity is Key: For HSA funds to cover any supplement, a healthcare provider must prescribe it to treat a specific medical condition, not for general wellness or athletic performance.
LMN Required: A Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) is the standard documentation required from a licensed healthcare provider to justify a supplement purchase as a qualified medical expense.
Protein and Creatine Ineligible: Standard workout supplements like protein powders and creatine are generally not HSA-eligible because they are for general health and muscle building.
Documentation is Non-Negotiable: If an exception is made via an LMN, you must keep all prescriptions and receipts for record-keeping in case of an IRS audit.
Severe Penalties for Misuse: Improper use of HSA funds for non-qualified expenses can result in taxes on the withdrawal plus a 20% penalty if under age 65.
Eligibility Varies by Product: Some supplements, like prenatal vitamins, are generally eligible, while others require specific medical justification.

Understanding the Core HSA Rule: Medical Necessity vs. General Wellness

The fundamental principle of using Health Savings Account (HSA) funds is that expenses must be incurred to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent a specific disease or illness. This contrasts sharply with purchases made for general health, fitness, or athletic performance. Most off-the-shelf workout supplements fall into this latter category, and as such, are not eligible for HSA coverage under standard circumstances. This crucial distinction is the primary reason why attempting to use your HSA card at a supplement store will likely result in a denied transaction.

Standard Workout Supplements Are Not Covered

For the vast majority of consumers, popular workout products are explicitly excluded from HSA eligibility. This includes common items you might find in a gym or health food store:

Protein Powders: Used for muscle building, recovery, and general nutritional support, not for treating a diagnosed medical condition.
Creatine: Taken to enhance athletic performance and muscle mass, a purpose not covered by HSA rules.
Pre-workout formulas: Generally intended for energy and performance boosts, not to treat a specific illness.
General Vitamins & Minerals: Unless prescribed to treat a documented deficiency (like iron for anemia), general multivitamins are for overall wellness and are not eligible.

When a Workout Supplement Might Be HSA-Eligible

There are very limited, specific exceptions where a supplement could be covered by HSA funds. These exceptions are never for general health or fitness goals. Eligibility hinges entirely on a documented medical necessity to treat a specific diagnosed condition. This requires a formal process and is not a common occurrence for most people.

The Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN)

For a supplement to become HSA-eligible, a licensed healthcare provider must issue a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN). This document must explicitly state the diagnosed medical condition and explain why the supplement is required as part of the treatment plan. It is not enough for a doctor to casually suggest a supplement. The LMN creates the necessary paper trail to justify the purchase to your HSA administrator and the IRS in case of an audit. Some online marketplaces and services, such as Truemed, help streamline this process for qualifying products.

Some examples of medically necessary supplement scenarios include:

Prescribed protein powder for a patient suffering from malnutrition due to illness.
High-dose vitamin D prescribed for a documented deficiency, not general health.
Glucosamine and Chondroitin prescribed to treat a diagnosis of severe arthritis.
Prescribed electrolyte mixes for a condition causing significant dehydration.

Proper Use and Avoiding Penalties

Misusing HSA funds can result in serious tax penalties, especially if you are under the age of 65. The IRS can impose income tax on the non-qualified purchase amount, plus an additional 20% penalty. The following steps are essential to navigate these complex rules correctly.

Maintaining Documentation is Crucial

If you have an LMN for a medically necessary supplement, it is your responsibility to maintain thorough records. Keep the following readily available:

A copy of the signed Letter of Medical Necessity from your healthcare provider.
All receipts and transaction records for the purchase of the supplement.
Any lab results or diagnostic reports supporting the medical condition.

This documentation is your defense in case of an audit. Your HSA provider will also require this for reimbursement or for processing a payment made with an HSA debit card.

HSA-Eligibility Comparison for Common Supplements


Type of Supplement	Common Purpose	HSA Eligibility	Required Documentation (if any)
Protein Powder	Muscle building, general recovery	No (General wellness)	N/A
Creatine	Strength, athletic performance	No (General wellness)	N/A
Prenatal Vitamins	Pregnancy support	Yes (Preventive care)	N/A (Generally)
Iron Supplement	Treating diagnosed anemia	Yes (If prescribed)	Letter of Medical Necessity
Standard Multivitamin	General health boost	No (General wellness)	N/A
Probiotics	General gut health	No (General wellness)	N/A (Unless prescribed for IBS or specific condition)

Conclusion: Consult a Professional Before Purchasing

While the prospect of using tax-advantaged HSA funds for health-related purchases is appealing, the rules for workout supplements are exceptionally strict. The key takeaway is that general-use workout and athletic performance supplements are not eligible under standard IRS guidelines. Any eligibility depends entirely on a formal, medically documented need to treat a specific condition, supported by a Letter of Medical Necessity. To avoid hefty penalties, it is crucial to consult your healthcare provider and your HSA administrator before assuming a purchase is eligible. When in doubt, it is always safest to pay for general wellness products out of pocket and save your HSA funds for undeniably qualified medical expenses.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, you cannot use your HSA card to buy protein powder for general health, fitness, or athletic performance. Protein powder is not considered a qualified medical expense under IRS rules unless it is prescribed by a doctor to treat a specific medical condition, such as malnutrition.

An LMN is a document from a healthcare provider confirming that a supplement is medically necessary to treat a specific diagnosed condition. You need it to prove to your HSA administrator and the IRS that your purchase of a supplement is a qualified medical expense, not for general wellness.

If you are under 65, using HSA funds for an ineligible purchase will incur income tax on the amount withdrawn, plus a 20% penalty. This can be costly, so it's important to understand the rules beforehand.

No, there are no workout-related supplements that are automatically HSA-eligible. Eligibility is based on treating a specific medical condition, not on the product category itself. Even standard items like vitamins require a diagnosis and often an LMN to qualify.

An LMN must be provided by a licensed healthcare professional, such as a doctor, nurse practitioner, or dietitian, acting within their professional expertise. A fitness trainer is not typically qualified to issue this documentation for HSA purposes.

Yes, for a supplement to be HSA-eligible, it must be either formally prescribed or, in some cases, backed by a written recommendation (LMN) from a healthcare provider for a specific medical condition. General vitamins for everyday health do not qualify.

The best way is to first consult your healthcare provider to determine if the supplement is medically necessary for a diagnosed condition. Next, contact your HSA administrator with the provider's recommendation to confirm eligibility and any required documentation.