Effect of creatine on performance of militarily relevant tasks and soldier health

PURPOSE

Determine the short-term effects of creatine supplementation on performance of military tasks, thermoregulation, and health risks.

METHODS

Male military personnel were randomly assigned to a creatine (CR; N = 8) or a placebo (CON; N = 8) supplementation group. Testing was conducted at baseline, after a 6-day load phase (20 g/d), and after 4 weeks of taking 6 g/d. Measurements included body composition, liver/kidney function tests, core body temperatures during a 10-mile march and 5-mile run, and performance on physical tasks.

RESULTS

Serum and urine creatine increased significantly in the CR group. Body mass and number of pull-ups performed increased significantly in the CR group but not the CON group by week 4. No significant differences between the CR and CON groups were found for other performance measures, body composition, core body temperature, or other biochemical measures.

CONCLUSION

Creatine supplementation increased body mass and pull-up performance but did not cause acute health problems. Creatine did not increase core temperature compared with placebo under the environmental conditions of the study, and it is unlikely that creatine will enhance the overall readiness or performance of soldiers.

Pulmonary and mediastinal metastases of a vaccination-site sarcoma in a cat

Sarcomas at vaccination sites in cats were first reported in 1992. Recent retrospective studies have confirmed an association between these vaccination-site sarcomas (VSS) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and/ or rabies vaccines. In most cases, VSS are locally invasive fibrosarcomas that tend to recur but rarely metastasize. We report the mediastinal and pulmonary metastases of a VSS in a FeLV-and feline immunodeficiency virus-negative, 8-year-old, domestic short-haired cat. The primary sarcoma was removed from an interscapular vaccination site and diagnosed as a VSS 3 months prior to radiographic lesions suggestive of pulmonary and mediastinal metastases. At necropsy, there were multiple pulmonary and mediastinal nodules that histologically and ultrastructurally were fibrosarcomas, cytomorphologically similar to the VSS. In addition, immunohistochemical staining patterns of the VSS and metastatic sites were consistent with that described for VSS. Recent reports of pulmonary and mediastinal metastases of interscapular VSS emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of these tumors.