Newswise —  Bethesda, MD – Healthcare providers, commanders, and military service members looking for information on dietary supplements can now find evidence-based answers on a new Department of Defense (DoD) program website.

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences’ (USU) Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP), a DoD Center of Excellence, recently launched the new Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS) website to promote awareness among DoD personnel and family members about dietary supplement safety.

The OPSS website, www.opss.org, includes important articles, videos, downloadable resources, and educational materials related to dietary supplements. Visitors to the website can find a list of “ingredients” prohibited by DoD, a regularly updated list provided by the United States Anti-Doping Agency of high-risk supplement products, and a list of commercial products containing ingredients known as “Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators.” 

In addition, the new website features information for service members and their families on different types of dietary supplements, including those for fitness, performance and general health.  A special section for military leaders and healthcare providers offers informational materials and a portal to report adverse events.  Other notable features include the Food and Drug Administration’s list of tainted products, a portal to “Rate Your Supplement,” and a way to directly “Ask The Expert” dietary-supplement-related questions that will be answered by CHAMP experts with tailored, science-based responses.

“The new OPSS website provides evidence-based resources and tools, as well as access to experts, to help service members, leaders and providers make informed decisions on selection of safe dietary supplements,” said Dr. Patricia Deuster, director of CHAMP. 

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The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), founded by an act of Congress in 1972, is the academic heart of the Military Health System. USU students are primarily active-duty uniformed officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Public Health Service who receive specialized education in tropical and infectious diseases, TBI and PTSD, disaster response and humanitarian assistance, global health, and acute trauma care. A large percentage of the University’s more than 5,500 physician and 900 advanced practice nursing alumni are supporting operations around the world, offering their leadership and expertise. USU also has graduate programs in biomedical sciences and public health committed to excellence in research, as well as in oral biology. The University's research programs cover a wide range of clinical and basic science important to both the military and public health. For more information, visit www.usuhs.edu.