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
