• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

US Military

  • Branches
    • Army
    • Navy
    • Air Force
    • Marine Corps
    • Coast Guard
    • National Guard
    • Air National Guard
    • Find A Recruiter
  • Find A Recruiter
  • Military Benefits
    • GI Bill
    • VA Loans
    • Military Scholarships
    • Military Friendly Colleges
    • Money
  • Jobs
    • Military Pay Chart
    • Veteran Jobs
    • Civilian Jobs
  • VA Loan Rates
  • Military News
    • Top News
    • Benefits
    • Careers
    • Education
    • Featured Columnists
      • Larry Fowler
      • Scott Ostrow
      • Kim Lengling
      • Dr. Sasha Toperich
      • Rick Stewart
  • USM Shop
  • GI Bill
  • VA Loans
  • Military Scholarships
  • Top Military-Friendly Colleges and Universities in America

Supplements: Awareness is a Serious Matter

April 30, 2015 By larryf

APRIL 30, 2015, PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) – Health, fitness and energy are important considerations for all Airmen, but when does pursuing them result in potential and real problems?

Supplements, health foods and energy drinks may be popular and even come with approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but that doesn’t ensure compliance with current Air Force instructions or passing a urinalysis test. There are numerous supplements – and components used in them – which are either banned or not recommended for use by members of the military. Since the responsibility for avoiding non-compliant substances lies solely on the shoulders of each Airman, a little knowledge will go a long way in staying out of trouble.

Vigilance is the operative word. Paying attention to products known to include banned or low value ingredients needs to be part of the regular shopping routine.

“Although supplements are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, that does not mean the products are necessarily safe. Supplements are not inspected or looked into until adverse reactions have been reported on a product,” said Tiffany Brunton, a health promotion dietician at the Peterson Health and Wellness Center. “The best advice is (for military members) to seek appropriate guidance from their (health care) providers or, ideally, from registered dietitians, before starting a supplement routine to make themselves aware of the risks or possible interactions.”

Products with strong advertising claims, such as, “alternative to FDA approved drug” or weight loss or muscle gain without changing diet or exercise, should draw extra scrutiny, Brunson said. She advised the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database as a source for any government employee to find information on various supplements regarding health risk rankings, adverse reactions, medication interactions and overall effectiveness.

Some products in FDA compliance, but not within Air Force regulations, include items that contain hemp seeds – an ingredient banned by Air Force Instruction 90-507 ?Military Drug Demand Reduction Program? section 1.1.6., which reads:

“Studies have shown that products made with hemp seed and hemp seed oil may contain varying levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an active ingredient of marijuana, which is detectable under the Air Force Drug Testing Program. In order to ensure military readiness, the ingestion of products containing or products derived from hemp seed or hemp seed oil is prohibited.”

According to the 2011 Health Related Behavior Survey ? Active-Duty Service Members, nearly 40 percent of personnel reported daily supplement and/or multivitamin use. Among all active-duty personnel participating in the survey, about 6 percent reported misuse with steroids and stimulants at about 17 percent and 12 percent respectively, the most commonly misused among prescription drug users.

Even commonly used energy drinks can present risks like increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, anxiety, nervousness, abnormal heart rhythm, sleep disturbance and dependence.

“If you have questions or concerns about a supplement, I suggest asking your doctor or visiting our office before using it,” Brunton said.

Filed Under: Air Force, daniel articles, Top News

[related_posts_by_tax format="thumbnails" limit_posts="100" image_size="sidebar-thumbnail" public_only="true" posts_per_page="6"]

Primary Sidebar

USMilitary.com Career Guide

Sign up to receive USMilitary.com email updates and to hear what's going on with all military branches!

Featured Columnists

Larry Fowler

Larry Fowler is the publisher of USMilitary.com Network one of America's premier privately owned

Autobiography Compares Living Faithfully With Navy SEAL Training (BUD/S).

Scott Ostrow

Lt Col (Dr.) Scott A. Ostrow retired from the Air Force in September 2005 and has been teaching

Must Read: The Truth About The ASVAB Test Prep From The Man Who Wrote The Book

Kim Lengling

Kim Lengling is a Air Force Veteran whose passion is to help support veterans and their

The Moving Wall: Women Who Paid The Ultimate Price For Their Country

Dr. Sasha Toperich

Dr. Sasha Toperich is the Senior Executive Vice President at Transatlantic Leadership

Sarraj’s Dangerous Dance With Power

Rick Stewart

Rick Stewart is a former United States Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE)

Announcing American Patriots Unsung Magazine

Nathan B. Nelson

Capt (ret) Nathan B. Nelson is the Director of Military Affairs for the 1st Congressional district

Three Critical Considerations for Every Veteran Prior to Leaving Active Duty

Laquan Daniels

Laquan Daniel is a military recruiting expert with over 17 years of specialized experience in the

Important News For Military Transitioning Veterans

Veteran Buzz

Hire Military Veterans

Which Companies Are Most Likely to Hire Military Veterans?

July 30, 2018 By Ben Ehinger

High-Paying Jobs for Military Veterans

5 High-Paying Jobs for Military Veterans

July 2, 2018 By Ben Ehinger

High Paying Jobs Not Requiring a Degree

June 28, 2018 By Ben Ehinger

Footer

  • Advertise With Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Write For US
  • Link to Us

Recent

  • Apache Attack Helicopter Pilot: To Maintain a Watchful Eye, “Above the Best”
  • A Few Benefits You May Not be Aware of As a Military Child
  • Experts Predict Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Warfare
  • Autobiography Compares Living Faithfully With Navy SEAL Training (BUD/S).
  • The Unraveled Pandemic Of Navy SEAL Posers

Search

© Copyright 2021 USMillitary
Web Design by Goebel Media Group


THIS IS A PRIVATE WEBSITE THAT IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, U.S. ARMED FORCES, OR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE NOT REVIEWED THIS INFORMATION. THIS SITE IS NOT CONNECTED WITH ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY.

​Tips
Discounts
News

​

​

Join the USMilitary.com Newsletter Today!

By subscribing you agree to our terms & conditions

x