Supplements for Military Training

Special Forces training has always been extremely tough on the mind and body. Back in the day, candidates took a beat down workout and then ran or marched down to the chow hall and ate a somewhat balanced meal.

Think of a 1960’s professional football player or D1 College player. Similar situation with hard workouts and eating in a dorm chow hall.

Supplements for Military Training

Navy SEALs use and recommend Intensity Nutrition supplements.

Todays athletes in the Special Forces and professional football are much more sophisticated and know that they need to eat cleaner (lean meats and vegetables) and less or no processed foods (grains, cereals, etc.).

The question is – can you enhance performance using sports supplements for Special Forces training, Navy SEAL, Rangers, Marine Recon and Air Force PJ’s?

Military personnel, SWAT and Special Operations forces (SOF) – Navy SEALs, Marine Recon, Army Special Forces, Rangers and Air Force Para-Rescue – are constantly on the look out for new ways to stay mentally and physically fit.

Soldiers are required to cope with uncompromising conditions that can challenge both their mental acuity and physical prowess.

Unfortunately, non-combat related injuries are a normal part of military life. Consequently, trainees, soldiers and veteran operators alike are asked to cope with high level of stress.

Supplements for Military Training

Special Forces Athletes use and recommend Intensity Nutrition supplements.

In a recent poll – Naval Health Research Center examined the use of nutritional supplements by US Navy SEALs and observed 78% of the Naval Special Warfare community currently use a variety of nutritional supplements ( “Use of supplements by Navy SEALs” Med.Sci.in Sports.Excercise. Vol.30, Number 5 (S) 1998). The study also found that the source of information SEALs relied on in choosing which supplements to use came from their fellow operators and bodybuilding magazines.

A dietary supplement survey given to 2,215 men entering U.S. Army Special Forces and Ranger training schools (Arsenault J, Kennedy J..Dietary supplement use in U.S. Army Special Operations candidates. Mil Med. 1999.Jul;164(7):495-501) found Eighty-five percent of the men reported past or present use of a supplement, 64% reported current use, and 35% reported daily use of nutritional supplements for a variety of reasons. It is reasonable to assume similar figures exist for other branches of the US military in regards to its special operations units.

It doesn’t matter if BUD/S training has your joints inflamed and you can barely crawl or you are facing high-energy impulse noises in an unfamiliar mountainous terrain, one way or the other you must engage.

I spent over 10 months battling my way through BUD/S. The first thing that I did was go over to the PX and purchased a big tub of protein powder to supplement my diet and a monster jar of fish oil to help my muscles and joints repair and recover. It is the best money I spent to help my body get ready for the annihilation of SEAL training.

Supplements for Military Training

Military personnel and SOF are well aware of the harsh consequences of oxidative stress and how it can affect a soldier’s reaction time during combat.

Research indicates certain nutritional supplements can help offset the common byproducts associated with military training and tactical missions.

This compelling nutritional data underlines the efficacy of particular supplements, which are scientifically known to support a soldier’s micronutrient requirements.

Supplements for Military Training

Navy SEALs use and recommend Intensity Nutrition supplements.

Since so much of what goes into a mission occurs during training, I wanted to bring a military study to your attention.

Can Post-exercise Protein Drinks Prevent Health Problems?

Intrigued by this question, researchers wanted to gauge the efficacy of protein supplementation on Marine recruits going through basic training.

According to this particular study (Flakoll P. et al. “Post exercise protein supplementation improves health and muscle soreness during basic military training in Marine recruits.” J Appl Physiol. 2004 Mar; 96(3):951-6. Epub 2003 Dec 2.), marine recruits from six platoons were randomly assigned to either a placebo, control group or protein supplement.

The findings showed the recruits that took the protein supplement experienced reduced muscle soreness compared to the placebo and control group, as well as:

•28% fewer bacterial/viral infections
•33% fewer medical visits
•37% fewer muscle/joint problems
•83% fewer medical visits due to heat exhaustion
In retrospect, researchers stated, “Post-exercise protein supplementation may not only enhance muscle protein deposition but it also has significant potential to positively impact health, muscle soreness, and tissue hydration during prolonged intense exercise training, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach for the prevention of health problems in severely stressed exercising populations.”

A Telling Survey: US Navy SEALs and Supplements

SEALs train harder and longer than most military personnel. Which means, their recovery period has to be shorter. SEALs depend on a balanced nutritional program along with clinically effective supplements to give them the edge they require.

In order to gain an accurate estimate of how many SEALs use nutritional supplements, the Naval Health Research Center conducted a poll. The findings revealed roughly 78% of SEALs depend on a variety of nutritional supplements to help them perform at their peak capacity (“Use of Supplements by Navy SEALs” Medical Science in Sports Exercise. Vol.30, Number 5 (S) 1998).

Surveys like this are not uncommon in the military.

Take, for example, the findings from this dietary supplement survey* given to over 2,000 men entering the U.S. Army Special Forces and Ranger Training Schools.

•35% reported daily use
•64% reported current use
•85% reported past or present use
*Arsenault J, Kennedy J. Dietary supplement use in U.S. Army Special Operations candidates. Mil Med. 1999.Jul; 164(7): 495-501

What Can You Conclude?

Military personnel and SOF push their minds and bodies to the limit. Without the proper nutrients and rest, these operators could “crash” at the wrong time, endangering their life and those around them.

To make sure this does not happen, SEALs and other SOF rely on scientifically proven nutritional supplements made of the highest quality ingredients.

If you take part in any hard-core training sessions and have yet to design your own supplement strategy then do so immediately. In conclusion, sports Supplements are beneficial for military Special Forces Training.

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