Administration of maltodextrin in horses submitted to incremental exercise test and sequential high intensity and short duration exercise test on high speed treadmill

• Grant number: 14/15492-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2014
• End date: September 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Jun Watanabe
• Grantee: Marcos Jun Watanabe
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Ana Liz Garcia Alves ; Carlos Alberto Hussni

Abstract

The maltodextrin supplementation in order to increase the availability of glucose during prolonged moderate intensity exercise test have been improved the performance of human athletes, but little information is known about this supplement in horses. The aim of the present study will be to evaluate the effect of acute administration of maltodextrin on the physiological and metabolic responses of horses submitted to standard incremental exercise test (SET) and sequential exercise bouts of high intensity and rapid acceleration (SEB) on a treadmill. We will use 8 Arabian horses, geldings and females, considered healthy, and they will be kept in paddocks and fed with coast-cross hay, commercial ration, mineral supplement and water ad libitum. The animals will be divided into two groups: Maltodextrin Group (MG) and control group (CG). GM will receive maltodextrin mixed to carboxymethylcellulose, orally 90 min before the start of exercise in both tests. GC will receive carboxymethylcellulose orally 90 min before exercise. The exercise protocol of SET at 6% slope will consist of incremental speeds of 1.8 m/s for a period of 5 minutes, followed at 4.0 m/s for 3 minutes, 6.0 m/s for 2 minutes, and subsequent phases to 7.0; 8.0; 9.0; 10.0 and 11.0 m/s for 1 minute at each speed, or even when the horses could no longer maintain the gallop. The SEB protocol will consist of a period of active heating at 1.7 m/s for 1 min (0% slope), trot at 3.5 m/s for 5 min (0% slope) and walk at 1.5m/s for 5 min (6% slope). After the end of this period, the treadmill speed will be increased quickly to the corresponding 116% HRmax speed maintained for 50 s.. After this period, called a session, the speed will be reduced immediately to 1.5 m/s (6% slope) and maintained for 15 min,and all horses will perform 3 sessions at 116% HRmax with periods of 15 min between each session at walk. After the third session, the horses will walk for 15 minutes at 1.7 m/s (0% slope). The effect of supplementation will be evaluated on blood concentrations of lactate, glucose and insulin, on blood gas changes, hematologic values, serum activity of creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase, triglycerides, cholesterol and free fatty acids levels, as well as the effect on the V4, V200, HRmax, VFCmax, heart rate and distance. (AU)