Dietary supplements, energy drinks

link U.S. Air Force photo: Staff Sgt. Alexxis Mercer

U.S. Air Force Airmen 1st Class Derek Slack and John Takats, 27th Special Operations Contracting Squadron, spot each other during an organized physical training session at the Fitness Center Jan. 20 at Cannon Air Force Base. The squadron gathers several times per week to help maintain fitness standards.

There are a number of reasons why dietary supplements and energy drinks gained popularity among active duty personnel. Chief among them, the physical fitness and weight status required for joining the military and maintaining standards.

Both of these prerequisites are assessed periodically and if an airman fails to pass, it can lead to negative career actions or the possibility of discharge.

Our wing commander said it best: with the new year comes a new wave of resolutions, often with a focus on fitness.

It is believed that dietary supplements will deliver fast results of weight loss, build muscle mass, assist in getting stronger faster and boost energy; in other words, getting physically fit in no time.

Some dietary supplements are marketed to promote these quick fixes, but in reality dietary supplements and energy drinks can lead to adverse reactions due to hidden drug and chemical compounds, or in a worse scenario cause medical issues that are irreversible.

Dietary supplements are products containing nutrients that include macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fats), vitamins, minerals, fiber, amino acids, herbs and other dietary substances.

Dietary supplements are not regulated the way medical drugs are; they do not require pre-market approval and therefore there is no guarantee of safety, quality, purity or effectiveness. A label is the only part of the supplement that is regulated by Food and Drug Administration.

When considering buying any dietary supplement, make sure that the product is evaluated by third party verification companies, for example: United States Pharmacopeia, NSF International, Informed-Choice, HFL Sport Science, or ConsumerLab.com. Visit http://hprc-online.org for more information on dietary supplements and how to be a better consumer.

In a recent study by Lieberman, roughly 53 percent of military members reported use of dietary supplements more than once per week. The majority of used dietary supplements were multivitamins or multiminerals, protein and amino acids, combination products and herbal supplements.

The survey asked service members a number of questions including reasons for use; the reported reasons were as follows: improve health, more energy, increased muscle strength and enhance performance.

Lieberman also stated that military members are more likely to use dietary supplements that claim to enhance performance than civilians; while the popularity of energy drinks also continues to rise across the Army and Air Force Exchange Service worldwide.

According to a survey from 2010, 45 percent of deployed service members drink at least one energy drink per day and 14 percent drink three or more daily.

The main active ingredient, caffeine, stimulates the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Other ingredients in energy drinks such as taurine, ginseng, or ginkgo biloba seem to not contribute to enhancement of physical activity due to lack of supporting evidence.

Energy drinks should not be used prior to exercise because they can cause elevated heart rate, blood pressure, gastrointestinal distress, caffeine intoxication and frequent urination which can lead to dehydration. Consuming three or more energy drinks per day can lead to drowsiness on the job and reduce hours of nightly sleep. This was also confirmed in studies with civilians who indicated daytime sleepiness, sleep problems and decreased work productivity after consuming three or more energy drinks per day. Additionally, high amounts of energy drinks can have negative effects on performance in a military setting.

So how can you get more energy without dietary supplements and energy drinks?

A healthy diet provides energy, supports your mood and maintains your healthy weight. Consumption of complex carbohydrates such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains keeps your stomach satisfied for longer periods than simple carbohydrates that only give you short bursts of energy.

To give yourself a boost, eat smaller and more frequent meals. Stay hydrated; the average male should consume about 120 ounces, women 96 ounces, of water per day. Do not skip breakfast as this is arguably the most important meal of the day.

Consistency in eating healthy and staying physically active without consuming unnecessary dietary supplements and energy drinks will provide the best results for being mission ready and fit to fight.

If you need more information regarding supplements, you can contact the Cannon Health Promotion Dietitian at 575-784-1003.