Page 134 - JSOM Summer 2020

An Ongoing Series

Be in the Know

Dietary Supplements for Cognitive Performance

2
Cindy Crawford, BA ; Patricia A. Deuster, PhD, MPH *
1

ABSTRACT
Dietary supplements promoted for brain health and enhanced Services University of the Health Sciences. OPSS (OPSS.org)
cognitive performance are becoming increasingly popular. was established to provide evidence-based information related
Special Operations Forces (SOF) is likely a prime target for to dietary supplements, increase awareness within the com-
this market as they strive to continually optimize and then munity about potential health risks, and educate personnel
sustain their high level of performance at all times. When a on how to choose safe dietary supplements. The OPSS ATE
dietary supplement hits the market, it is considered safe until function allows us to hear from medical providers and Ser-
it is proven otherwise; yet the majority have not been analyzed vicemembers what is going on in the field and while at home.
1
for quality or tested for safety. The authors describe issues They tell us why dietary supplements for cognitive perfor-
related to products marketed for brain health and cognitive mance or brain health are of interest and ask questions related
enhancement and focus on products brought to our attention to specific products.
by the operational communities. The overwhelming major-
ity of product labels were found to be misbranded and some Why Are Brain Health Dietary Supplements of Interest?
were found to contain prohibited ingredients and drugs. The Many of the brain health/cognitive enhancement products
problematic ingredients in these products are introduced. The (sometimes also referred to as “nootropic” supplements) have
Operation Supplement Safety scorecard algorithm is demon- claims for improving memory, focus, enhancing cognitive per-
strated as a tool to quickly screen a product for potential formance, energy, and motivation; they are widely available
safety; it can be used in real-time when considering the use of across the Internet and in stores both in and outside of military
any dietary supplement product. These resources are available bases. In fact, brain health supplements generated $3 billion in
to help SOF medical assets evaluate whether a product’s claims sales globally in 2016 and are projected to reach $5.8 billion
may be deceiving and potentially harmful to the health or ca- by 2023. This massive market is now targeting healthy indi-
2
reer of Operators. viduals who want to optimize their performance and not just
the elderly who may be experiencing cognitive decline. SOF
Keywords: consumer product safety; decision aid; dietary communities are a prime target for this market because SOF
supplements; education; mental processes strive to continually optimize and then sustain a high level of
performance at all times. Thus, it is important that healthcare
providers, trainers, and leaders who work with SOF to have
the information they need to help make appropriate and safe
Introduction
dietary supplement decisions.
Military Servicemembers are showing great interest in dietary
supplements marketed for enhanced cognitive performance Brain Health Supplements vs Nootropics: What Are They?
and brain health as indicated by the many questions that come Brain health supplements are often referred to as “nootropics”
in through the Operation Supplement Safety website–Ask The or “cognitive enhancers” and claim to improve mental perfor-
Expert (ATE) function. Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS) is mance. By law, dietary supplements contain dietary ingredi-
the Department of Defense’s resource for Servicemembers and ents defined as “vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and herbs
healthcare providers and is overseen by the Consortium for or botanicals, as well as other substances that can be used
Health and Military Performance (CHAMP) at the Uniformed to supplement the diet.” Some common ingredients meeting
3
*Correspondence to Patricia A. Deuster, Consortium for Health and Military Performance, Department of Military & Emergency Medicine,
F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA; or patricia.deuster@
usuhs.edu
1 Ms Crawford is a senior scientist at the Consortium for Health and Military Performance, Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, F.
Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, and the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement
of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD. Dr Deuster is the executive director of the Consortium for Health and Military Performance, Department
2
of Military and Emergency Medicine, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD.
132