KELLY KAIM, MS, RD, CSSD, TSAC-F
COMMONLY USED SUPPLEMENTS IN THE MILITARY
The views expressed in this article are those of the author, and
do not necessarily reflect the official position or policy of the U.S.
Army, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
The lack of regulation does not keep many service members
from using dietary supplements. In fact, studies show that 53%
of United States Army soldiers have reported the use of dietary
supplements at least once per week (10). The most commonly
reported reasons for supplement use in the armed forces are for
improving health, increasing energy, gaining muscle mass, and
enhancing performance (10). While it is important to remember
that proper eating should be the first step, third party tested,
well-researched supplements can serve as tools to help meet
their goals. Below are some dietary supplements that may have
potential benefits to military service members.
CAFFEINE
Caffeine has numerous actions in the body, but these actions
vary highly from individual to individual. Generally, habitual
users of caffeine seem to see less of an effect than people using
it more sparingly. Others can be highly reactive to caffeine. In
these individuals, it can be more of a physical detriment than an
ergogenic aid since their bodies may not tolerate caffeine
as well as others. Caffeine is often used in the military as a
means to stay alert by stimulating the release of adrenal ine.
For longer endurance type missions, caffeine can also decrease
perceived exertion. Some research suggests that it can help tap
into fat stores for utilization, sparing the use of muscle glycogen,
which is only available in limited amounts (4). Research on
caffeine’s effect on marksmanship in sleep deprived Navy Seals
has also been conducted; it was found that although accuracy was
not changed, those consuming 200 – 300 mg of caffeine
had faster sight acquisition and trigger pull rates than those
in the placebo group (3).
Energy drinks are not an ideal source of caffeine because of
the unpredictability of content, since many drinks include other
extracts such as guarana and yerba mate, for example, which
also contain caffeine. Research suggests that only about 45% of
caffeine supplements accurately labeled the quantity of caffeine
in their product, with many containing higher amounts (5). At
high levels, generally above 300 mg, caffeine can contribute to
over arousal including an increase in heart rate, sleep inhibition,
and changes in fine motor skills (4). Excessive caffeine can
increase the risk of rhabdomyolysis and other heat-related injuries
in extreme environments, such as deployment (5). Benefits of
caffeine supplementation can be seen, for most people, at small to
moderate levels of 50 – 200 mg (13). To give an example, one cup
of brewed coffee contains about 80 mg of caffeine. There is no
evidence of a dose-response relationship with caffeine; therefore,
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more is not necessarily better and, in fact, may lead to some of the
issues listed above.
CREATINE
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in skeletal
muscle and specifically found in animal proteins. Individual’s
muscle creatine levels vary from person to person, which
likely explains why some people are more reactive to creatine
supplementation than others. For example, vegetarians often
do not get sources of creatine through their diet and therefore,
often have lower muscle creatine concentrations (12). Creatine
supplementation, although not effective for all (some individuals
even appear to not respond at all to creatine supplementation),
can have potential benefits for those warfighters doing short
bouts of high-intensity exercise. Limited research has been done
on military populations regarding creatine supplementation,
but it is also suggested that creatine supplementation may
aid in protection against traumatic brain injury (TBI) by
increasing brain creatine levels, which can have an effect on
cognition and psychomotor performance. A common form of
supplementation is creatine monohydrate. While optimal
dosing is still debated, a common recommendation is five
days of 20 – 25 g per day split into smaller dosages throughout
the day; followed by a maintenance dose for the remainder
of the supplementation period (12).
PROTEIN POWDER
According to surveys, approximately 20% of active duty personnel
use some type of protein supplementation (11). Possibly the most
well researched and common of these protein supplements is
whey protein (most frequently in powder form). Whey protein is
often used as a source of pre- and post-fuel for soldiers looking
to gain lean muscle mass and improve recovery. Whey protein is
considered high quality as it contains all 20 amino acids along
with the three branched chain amino acids. Whey protein can be
obtained from dairy sources such as Greek yogurt, which contains
naturally occurring whey protein. For many individuals, adequate
protein intake can be obtained through food alone, without the
assistance of a protein supplement. Research indicates that more
is not necessarily better.
General recommendations for daily protein needs are 1.2 – 1.4
g/kg bodyweight per day for endurance training and 1.6 – 1.7
g/kg bodyweight per day for strength training (1). Protein
supplementation can be beneficial for individuals who have
difficulty meeting their protein needs through food, who are
restricting their total daily intake, or when food resources are
limited. Whey protein isolate and hydrolysates may be useful since
they contain about 90 – 95% protein, while the concentrate form is
only about 50% protein.
NSCA’S TSAC REPORT | ISSUE 34