Waiting periods usually describe a waiting time or blocking period. In connection with feed, the waiting period defines the time during which the feed could cause a positive doping result in a control. Some ingredients can have a strong performance-enhancing or stimulating effect and are therefore prohibited in national and international competitions. The waiting period is given in hours (usually 24 to 94 hours) and indicates how long before a sporting tournament the product may no longer be fed. A supplement with a waiting period of 48 hours should therefore no longer be administered two days before the tournament. During this period, the horse excretes the active ingredients naturally, so that they are no longer detectable in the blood or urine, or only in very small and permissible amounts.