Dietary supplements - a blessing or curse?

  • Published
  • By Col. George Nicolas
  • 325th Medical Group
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) --  In our new air expeditionary force culture, an increasing number of duties and decreasing number of Airmen demand new-found levels of excellence in all areas of life. Technical ability, time management, critical thinking and physical stamina are but a few areas we must constantly work on to operate at peak performance levels. 

Being overzealous to be the best, we all look for ways to enhance ourselves. One of the areas some concentrate on most is increasing physical stamina.

A solid exercise routine, nutritionally balanced diet and rest-cycle plan is key to any physical training endeavor. The nutritional balance portion of any plan is not real difficult for the average person, but those who want that edge can be attracted to nutritional or performance-enhancing supplements. 

Today's marketing of these products can be very seductive, which is why they are so popular. 

The supplements industry brings in more than $1 trillion a year and is essentially unregulated due to the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Manufacturers of these products are not held to content, concentration or purity standards. Just because something is deemed natural or organic does not automatically make it good for you. 

There has been a recent increase in Airmen purchasing performance enhancing supplements online. It is very important that all Airmen realize these products are not regulated by the FDA or any government entity, and many of these products are banned by Air Force regulations. 

They can contain ephedrine, hemp extract or even anabolic steroids, which really carry a serious safety risk for people who use them, even short term, in hopes of increasing their physical performance.

"These products are dangerous and will often cause severe medical problems such as liver failure, kidney failure, heart damage, stroke and hormonal imbalances within a month of their use," said Capt. Richard Greco, 325th Medical Group Family Practice physician. "They can also cause sleep disturbance and even sexual dysfunction." 

One $50 bottle of a performance enhancing supplement taken for more than a one month can easily result in $16,000 in medical bills and lost duty time, not to mention the possibility of a liver transplant to save a life. 

Many of these supplements have medicinal properties that can and do interact negatively with prescribed medication as well as directly affect critical organs like the heart, liver and kidney.

Most importantly, all Airmen should avoid commercially available performance enhancing supplements. They are marketed under various names and often contain ingredients that are in violation of Air Force regulations and could ruin a career or a life. 

While not all supplements are bad, get as much information as you can from the professionals. Research the product. A good place to start is www.fda.gov. A product that sounds too good to be true, probably is. 

Airmen interested in improving their performance should make an appointment with their primary care manager and visit the health and wellness center. 

If you know a fellow Airman who is taking one of these products, especially the performance enhancers, be a good wingman and advise them to stop using them and see their primary care manager.