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. 2025 Nov 17;17(22):3592.
doi: 10.3390/nu17223592.

Leader-Inspired Nutrition: Promoting Safe Dietary Supplement Use for Service Members

Andrea T Lindsey  1   2 , Cindy Crawford  1   2 , Tanisha L Currie  3 , Mary McCarthy  4 , Patricia A Deuster  1
Affiliations

Leader-Inspired Nutrition: Promoting Safe Dietary Supplement Use for Service Members

Andrea T Lindsey et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Military readiness and performance are critical to national defense. Service Members must maintain their health and fitness to remain deployable. Dietary supplement use in the military is prevalent and remains a significant concern due to rampant misinformation, product adulteration, and documented adverse events. In March 2022, the Department of Defense issued Instruction (DoDI) 6130.06: Use of Dietary Supplements in the DoD, formally establishing Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS) [1] as the program of record for everything related to dietary supplements. Leaders, as role models within their organizations, can serve as facilitators in promoting the safe and informed use of dietary supplements in the military through an innovative framework called Leader-Inspired Nutrition (LIN). LIN is a leadership-driven strategy aimed at enhancing Service Members' health, encompassing seven pillars focused on nutritional fitness, including the informed and safe use of dietary supplements. This paper details how leaders can engage with Service Members and advocate for the safe use of dietary supplements by utilizing five strategic imperatives, educational initiatives, and resources provided by OPSS.

Keywords: decision making; dietary supplements; energy drinks; leader-inspired nutrition; leadership; military personnel; nutrition; performance products; safety.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, the United States Government, the Defense Health Agency, the Uniformed Services University, nor any agencies under the U.S. Government. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or policies of The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Key Messages for Leadership.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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