Summary of the "Lunch and Learn" Presentation on "Muscle Recovery and Why It Is Important to Performance"

Lunch and Learn – “Muscle Recovery and Why It is Important to Performance” (sponsored by VitaFlex), PBIEC, March 14, 2019

This was an excellent presentation given by Richard G. Godbee, PhD, PAS, Dipl ACAS

General Summary

Aerobic = Sufficient Oxygen, uses bodyfat, carbohydrates, branched chain amino acids

Anerobic = Not enough oxygen. Anerobic produces lactic acid which leads to muscle soreness and tiredness.

I didn’t bring a note book and had to scrawl my notes on a flyer, so I copied the following about anaerobic metabolism from the VitaFlex website:

"Anaerobic metabolism is less efficient than aerobic both in choice of fuels and end product produced. During anaerobic metabolism, muscle and liver glycogen serve as the primary energy source. Body stores of both are relatively small, so depletion occurs quickly. Another issue of anaerobic metabolism is the incomplete combustion of glucose resulting in the accumulation of lactic acid. Lactic acid lowers the pH in the muscle, which further inhibits metabolism and muscle function. The rate or speed that lactic acid accumulates relates directly to how quickly a horse slows down, an example is slowing at the end of a flat track race. Aerobic metabolism allows dietary and body fat to be used as energy with CO2 and water being the end products. In most horses, body stores of fat far exceed that of liver and muscle glycogen levels. It has been suggested that a horse may produce 600 times more energy from energy sources in the body during aerobic compared to anaerobic metabolism.

Proper conditions for the chosen discipline or activity are critical to maximize the horse’s ability to succeed. The more fit the horse, the more efficient it is in energy utilization. In order to efficiently utilize the increase in dietary energy, additional nutrients may be required. Increased dietary vitamin E to serve as an antioxidant along with more dietary B-vitamins is often added to the ration through proper supplementation."

Back to my notes:

It takes energy to produce energy. Energy comes from fiber digestion. Fiber is converted to short chain fatty acids* in the large gut.

• *Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), also referred to as volatile fatty acids (VFAs), are fatty acids with an aliphatic tail of less than six carbon atoms. Short-chain fatty acids are produced when dietary fiber is fermented in the colon.

The more fiber a horse has in it’s diet the more heat he produces internally.

Fuels (Carbohydrates)

-       Protein alone is an insufficient energy source, it also needs amino acids (Branched-Chain Amino Acids = BCAAs)

-       Glycogen for muscle and liver function

-       Fat (fatty acids, glycerol)

-       Starch and Sugar

Carbs (Grains)

-       Oats are an outstanding source of carbs

-       Soy hulls have no carbs and are good for IR (Insulin Resistant) horses

-       Soluble fiber: Beet pulp (from sugar beets), good for hydration.

-       Rice bran contains ceramides, which is good for healthy horses but not for horses with metabolic issues

Fats (Oils)

-       Made up of fatty acids, Omega 3 and 6. Fats are used in aerobic metabolism

-       Advantage of a high fat diet: Decreased heat production and thermal load. The more fiber a horse has in its diet the more heat he has internally

-       Source of oil is important, not all oils are recommended, as there can be an inflammatory response. Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio very important (too many omega-6s and not enough omega-3s can result in excessive inflammation in the body. Therefore, having adequate amounts of omega-3s in the diet to moderate the pro-inflammatory response of the omega-6s is desirable)

-       Fat supplement leads to lowered heart rates

-       Fast recovery on soy diet

-       Lowest cortisol level on soy oil

-       Fish oil is better than corn oil, but horses are mostly reluctant to eat fish oil. Algae oil is recommended (EPA and DPA content). Seal Blubber Oil

Key ‘Take Home Notes’:

Carbs

·         Overfeeding carbs is a huge problem: Do not feed more than four pounds of grain a feeding. Weigh what you feed, don’t just use a scoop.

·         Equally, underfeeding carbs is also an issue. It alters the Glycogen replenishment. Muscle and liver glycogen need to be replaced. It takes 48 to 72 hours in a horse to replenish. Just ½ pound of oats a day replenishes Glycogen.

·         There are multiple sources of dietary energy sources

·         Failure to supply dietary carbs have a negative impact of the horses well being

·         Do not feed more than four pounds of grain per meal

Electrolytes

·         Electrolytes can be given AFTER a workout. Don’t go by heavy/medium/light work, go by the horse’s sweating (heavy/medium/light)

·         Electrolytes need to be given with free access to water, do not put them into the water

·         Do not give horses Gatorade or similar products, their chemical composition is detrimental to the horses’ health

“Everybody needs to be a horseman/woman not just a horse owner/rider”

Richard G. Godbee, PhD, PAS, Dipl ACAS