Diet Supplementation For Military Personnel

ackground It is widely acknowledged that the nutritional supplement industry is growing, creating an increase in the number and availability of nutritional supplements. It has been demonstrated that the use of nutritional supplements in military personnel may be high, although the effects on military performance remain unknown. As such, the work detailed in this proposal will explore the frequency and form of supplement use, potential physiological benefits, along with the risk of adverse effects. To date, STO has not focused on the use of nutritional supplements in military personnel, and there is currently no guidance informing individuals of supplement safety / risk with application of this risk to military performance. Military Relevance Military personnel are faced with specific nutritional needs, due to challenging operational and training environments. These needs are affected by numerous individual factors, including age, sex and occupational requirements. Inadequate nutrition can result in suboptimal physical and cognitive performance affecting military operations. Inappropriate use of supplements may even lead to adverse effects. Diet supplementation may be a means to overcome nutritional gaps and affect military performance. Guidelines are therefore needed. Scientific Objectives The overall objective of this activity will be to produce guidance regarding nutritional supplement use, including educational material. To achieve this, the work will focus into (a) exploration of the literature and other available data (including ongoing research projects) related with supplementation use, including possible physiological benefits and risks; (b) provide recommendations for the conduct of further studies, which will enable a harmonised approach to collect data on the frequency and forms of supplement use in military populations.