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Dietary supplements: Maintaining nutrition properly

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Diana M. Cossaboom
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Physical fitness and health are important aspects of mission readiness for all Airmen, but the path to optimal health can be skewed by the abundance of dietary and nutritional supplements flooding the internet and shelves of stores.

Guidance for Airmen on supplement usage is currently limited to the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency restrictions.

"Dietary supplements include any products taken by mouth that contain a 'dietary ingredient' intended to supplement the diet," according to the National Sanitation Foundation International. "This includes vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, and amino acids as well as concentrates, metabolites, constituents and extracts of these substances."

Products the FDA has banned and should be avoided include anabolic agents and stimulants like progesterone, androstenedione, amphetamine, dimethylamylamine, methylhexaneamine, octopamine, ephedrine, and ephedra.

"I wish I could tell active duty members that anything you purchase at a nutritional supplement retailer or online is a safe product, but sadly that is not the case," said Janine Reinholtz, 20th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Health Promotions registered dietitian.

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 states that anything labeled as a dietary supplement is assumed to be safe until proven otherwise.

Instead of being tested by the FDA, supplements are verified by independent laboratories. The FDA only reviews the product when adverse reactions occur, said Reinholtz.

"Products I advise against due to studies proving that they are (unsuitable) for human consumption include the combination of caffeine and synephrine due to life-threatening heart attacks and strokes," said Reinholtz.

Not all supplements are unsafe, but being aware of the ingredients in a product is vital to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

"Oftentimes supplements are an easy and expensive way to mimic nature," said Reinholtz. "A great way to improve muscle tone is by consuming a well-balanced diet. Muscles are encouraged to develop and to burn fat stores when we provide them with adequate protein, electrolytes including calcium, vitamins from various foods, and phytonutrients from plants."

Education on nutrition is key to ensuring a healthy lifestyle. Nutritional supplements are not a replacement for poor eating habits, so it is important to eat a well-balanced diet, says NSF International.

Airmen on flight status must have all supplements reviewed and approved by a flight surgeon before taking them.

"We all want a golden ticket that will help us achieve our goals, be it fat loss, increased muscle mass or to manage disease," said Reinholtz. "However, there is something to be said for legitimate, wholesome nutrition."

For more information, call (803) 895-3746,
Or visit one of the Health Promotions recommended resources:
Human Performance Resource Center: www.hprc-online.org.
Operation Supplement Safety: hprc-online.org/dietary-supplements/opss
NSF Certified for Sport: www.nsfsport.com
Informed-choice: informed-choice.org
U.S. Anti-doping Agency: www.usada.org/substances/supplement-411