Table 3.

Dietary Supplement Considerations for Combat Athletes.

Supplement	Rationale	Recommendation
Multivitamin	Help athlete meet daily micronutrient needs and minimize risk of deficiencies	Daily supplementation
Vitamin D (calciferol)	Low vitamin D status increases risk for injury and upper respiratory infections [206]	1000 IU/day [48]
Vitamin C*	Enhances iron absorption and supports immunity. *Serves as an antioxidant and aids in oxidative stress which may help recovery post TBI	Males 90 mg/d Females 75 mg/d [86]
Iron	Athletes unable to maintain sufficient iron levels, possibly due to low intake.	18 mg/day for women and >8 mg/day for men [48]
Magnesium	Evidence supports use of supplementation when deficiency present.	Current RDA is Males 420 mg/d and Females 320/d, as high as 500 mg/d [86]
Zinc	Supports immune function	Males 11 mg/d Females 8 mg/d86
Omega-3	Supports recovery, anti-inflammatory properties. Supports brain health and function	>2 g of EPA and DHA daily [207]
Creatine	Enhance acute exercise capacity, increase muscle creatine stores and increase lean body mass. Offers neuro protective effects for post TBI management	3–5 g/day [86]
Caffeine	Enhance exercise performance, delay onset of fatigue	3–6 mg/kg body mass [208]
Sodium Bicarbonate	Supports high-intensity exercise	0.2 to 0.5 g/kg [209]
Beta alanine	Enhances exercise performance via increases in intracellular buffering capacity	4 to 6 g of beta-alanine for at least 2 to 4 weeks [64]
β-Hydroxy β-methylbutyrate	Supports lean body mass	1–3 g or 38–40 mg/kg/bw daily [94], [95]
Antioxidants	Support brain function, reduce inflammation and protective effects from oxidative damage	Found in fruits, vegetables, curcumin, N-Acetyl-Cysteine, Vitamin E, Glutathione, Coenzyme Q10 B-vitamins [138]