Page 95 - JSOM Winter 2018

standard deviation: age, 32.0 ± 3.4 years; height, 176.0 ± represented the greater feeling. Questions were structured as
6.5cm; weight, 79.6 ± 8.4kg) or placebo (PL; n = 5; age, 38.2 ± “My level of energy is:”; “My level of focus is”; “My level of
4.8 years; height, 179.2 ± 2.9cm; weight, 83.0 ± 9.9kg). alertness is:”; and “My level of fatigue is”. The participants
completed the VAS questions at each test date and were asked
Supplementation Protocol to rate their feelings at that time by marking on the corre-
Participants were provided with the active supplement or PL, sponding line. The validity and reliability of VAS in assessing
depending on group assignment, and ingested 900 mg once per fatigue and energy have been established. 9
day (two capsules per serving). The supplement consisted of a
proprietary spearmint extract containing 14.5% rosmarinic Jump power
acid and 24% total polyphenols. The supplement is marketed To quantify vertical jump power, participants performed three
as Neumentix Phenolic Complex K110-42 (Kemin Foods, consecutive countermovement jumps. During each coun-
™
™
https://www.kemin.com). The PL of an equivalent amount of termovement jump, participants stood with their hands on
maltodextrin powder. All participants were provided a 25-day their waist at all times and were instructed to maximize the
supply of product and were required to return the supplement height of each jump while minimizing the contact time with
vial at the study’s conclusion. Participant compliance was de- the ground between jumps. During each jump, the participant
termined by the actual number of returned capsules compared wore a belt connected to a Tendo Power Output Unit (Tendo
™
to the expected number of returned capsules. Sports Machines, https://www.tendosport.com/). The Tendo
unit, which was attached to the end of the belt, consists of a
Study Protocol linear position transducer and that measured linear displace-
During the first 10 days of the study, participants performed ment and time. Subsequently, the velocity of each jump was
various training tasks (e.g., hostage rescue operations, ex- calculated and power determined. The median peak and mean
traction of barricaded suspects, high-risk searches and arrests, power outputs for all three jumps were recorded. Intraclass
high-level security details) and also participated in physical correlations (standard error of the mean) for the Tendo Unit
conditioning sessions including hand-to-hand combat (krav- and peak and mean vertical jump power from our research
maga). After the initial 10-day intervention period, the unit team were R = 0.98 (106.2W) and R = 0.94 (100.3W), respec-
was on “alert,” in which an incident requiring the skill sets tively, as reported in a 2014 study. 10
of this unit would result in activation of the unit to the site of
need. During the “alert” period, all operators were garrisoned Reactive agility
on base; they consumed their meals together and maintained a Reactive agility was measured using the FITLIGHT Trainer
™
similar dietary intake throughout the study. Participants con- (FITLIGHT Corp, FITLIGHT Trainer), a wireless reaction
sumed either PSE or PL during the 10-day intervention and the system comprising four light-emitting diode (LED) lights con-
“alert” period. Upon the unit’s activation, the research team trolled by a computer tablet. Participants stood 3m perpen-
was notified and arrived on to the base for postoperation as- dicular to a series of four lights aligned in a straight line 1m
sessments. All assessments were conducted in a single day prior apart. At the onset of the protocol, the participant stood in
to supplementation (PRE) and approximately1 hour after the the middle of the four lights. One of the lights illuminated
unit’s return from the operation (POST). All assessments were randomly and the participant was required to sprint and react
performed in the same order at both PRE and POST. to the light by waving his hand 10cm above the light and then
return to the starting position. In total, 10 lights were illumi-
Unit Operation nated. The participant had 2 seconds to recognize each light.
On day 17 of supplementation, the unit performed a high-risk A 1-second pause was provided between the dimming of one
operation. All 10 participants participated in this operation, light and the illumination of the next light. The total time and
which occurred in the early morning hours. Mission prepara- the average reaction time per light were recorded.
tion included all operators participating in a mission overview,
mission preparation, and drill, review, travel, and action. After Eye-hand reaction
the operation, the unit returned to the base for POST testing. Eye-hand reaction was also measured using the FITLIGHT
At the time of POST testing, all operators had not slept for 24 Trainer. In this assessment, a set of eight LED lights controlled
hours. by a wireless computer tablet was used. The eight lights were
attached to a wall in two lines (four LED lights per line). The
Physical and Cognitive Assessments lights were 12cm apart. Participants were required to assume a
During each testing session, participants completed a study comfortable athletic stance at a distance from the board where
questionnaire (visual analog scales [VASs] for subjective feel- they could easily reach all the lights. Participants were told to
ings of fatigue, focus, alertness, and energy), a jump test for fix their gaze at the middle of the group of lights and to keep
anaerobic power, a reactive-agility test, a test for eye-hand their focus there for the entire assessment. Participants were
reaction, and a cognitive function assessment (serial seven required to respond to a visual stimulus (one of the LED lights
subtraction). After the physical and cognitive function assess- being illuminated). Each participant was instructed to success-
ments, participants proceeded to the shooting range to com- fully identify and strike as many stimuli as possible within 30
plete a detailed shooting protocol for evaluation of executive seconds. The total number of successful hits and the average
function and target engagement. time for each strike were recorded.
Subjective measures of energy, focus, alertness, and fatigue Cognitive function
Participants were instructed to assess their subjective feelings A modified version of the original Serial Sevens Test was used
of energy, focus, fatigue, and alertness using a 15cm VAS. to analyze cognitive function. The test consisted of a 2-minute
11
The scale was anchored by the words “low” and “high” to written test in which participants were required to subtract the
represent extreme ratings, where the greater measured value number 7 from a randomly generated four-digit number; this

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