Be smart with your supplements

Photo By Airman Collin Schmidt | Military members should practice caution when taking certain supplements. There are more than 29,000 different nutritional supplements on the market today. The majority have not been reviewed by the Federal Drug Administration. (U.S. Air Force graphic/Airman Collin Schmidt)  

MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, MT, UNITED STATES

11.04.2015

Story by Airman 1st Class Collin Schmidt 

341st Missile Wing

A concern some people have when starting a new exercise regimen is they feel the need to use nutritional and performance supplements to attain their fitness goals.

While it is true that the right supplements can provide an extra edge to gaining or losing a few stubborn pounds, many are over-marketed and hyped up to everything just short of a miracle in a bottle.

This is not to dissuade someone from taking supplements, but to encourage people to first be sure that their physical demands require the use of a supplement and that proper research is done to be sure what someone is taking is legitimate.

“The first thing people should be thinking about is developing and sticking to a proper training routine,” said Kirk Clark, 341st Medical Group exercise physiologist. “If a person is not putting their body through the proper exercises and physical exertion to demand the use of a supplement, all they are doing is adding extra calories into their diet and essentially adding fat to their bodies.”

After a suitable training routine is in place, the next step is to ensure the individual has a proper diet.

For many, if a good training routine is implemented and they are eating correctly, that’s all that is needed to reach their fitness goals.

“If you have an adequate diet, you are getting pretty much everything that you need,” said Matt Lanis, 341st Medical Operations Squadron health promotion dietitian. “The supplements developed by these companies are mostly just the specific macronutrients that your body already gets from eating right.”

When you are getting nutrition from real food, you are getting a lot more great stuff such as vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants on top of what will not be included in a supplement, said Lanis.

“If you are training and eating right consistently and still find that your body needs a little assistance, supplements can be an added benefit to your diet,” said Clark. “It should be said that even if you may need supplements to reach your goals, that does not mean to just go and buy everything you can get your hands on.

“Luckily, there are some great resources out there that can help people, especially military members, find out what is just talk and what actually works,” he continued. “Military members should still verify what they would like to take will not make them test positive on a urinalysis sample. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

As some supplements break down in the body, their metabolites can cause individuals to test positive on urinalysis samples.

According to the Federal Drug Administration, there are more than 29,000 different nutritional supplements on the market today, making it a $28 billion industry.

With that being said, if the right supplements are incorporated into a good workout routine and diet plan, they can be very positive to speeding up results.

Protein is the building block of muscle and those who hit the weights in order to get bigger need a healthy supply of it to grow. People who are deficient in certain vitamins can take them in order to stay healthy and promote good fitness.

“I do think that supplements can be a great thing,” said Staff Sgt. Jeremy Flores, 341st force Support Squadron fitness assistant. “They can really give you that added motivation to go and hit the gym and can help when you are having a tough time getting to where you want to be.

“I always recommend that people look up what they want to take, especially for those who are in the military,” he continued. “It can even be very beneficial to ask those people who are in the gym all the time and have the knowledge. Some of the biggest, toughest guys and girls that look intimidating hitting the weights are some of the nicest people to talk to and are very willing to help. Use their knowledge and hit your goals.”

For more information and to review supplements before use, visit www.hprc-online.org/dietary-supplements/OPSS

• Date Taken: 11.04.2015
• Date Posted: 11.04.2015 18:24
• Story ID: 180920
• Location: MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, MT, US
• Hometown: GREAT FALLS, MT, US