Role of nutritional supplements in military personnel: a review article

Abstract

Introduction:Military personnel need to use nutritional supplements to increase physical and mental efficiency and protect against occupational injuries. However, Information is limited about the effectiveness and efficiency of nutritional supplements related to military personnel needs. The aim of this study is to review the studies in the field of nutritional supplements required for the military personnel. Methods: In this review study, articles related to nutritional supplements needed to protect against intense noise, improve trauma and enhance physical and mental function in military personnel were reviewed. The articles were extracted from the databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Sciences and Persian databases as the SID and Magiran between 1993 and 2018. Results:The results of the review showed that supplementation of magnesium and vitamin B12 to protect against abnormal sounds, supplementation of glutamine and omega-3 in trauma, supplementation of beta-alanine in physical activity and caffeine in mental function can be beneficial. Conclusion: Nutritional supplements can be useful for military personnel from different aspects. However, the supplements discussed in this article only cover a small part of the supplements required by the military. In addition, although evidence suggests the potential benefits of nutritional supplements to military personnel, but this subject is still controversial and requires further studies.

Keywords

• magnesium
• beta-alanine
• glutamine
• caffeine
• military personnel