Lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism, produced when glucose is broken down for energy in the absence of sufficient oxygen. In horses, lactate levels can increase during intense physical exertion, such as racing or other high-performance activities. Elevated lactate concentrations are often associated with muscle fatigue and can provide insights into a horse's exercise physiology and conditioning status. Monitoring lactate levels can aid in assessing the horse's fitness, recovery, and adaptation to training. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the production, regulation, and implications of lactate in equine exercise physiology and performance.
Many colic horses are compromised due to the disease state and from hours of starvation and sometimes long trailer rides. This could influence their muscle energy reserves and affect the horses' ability to recover. The principal aim was to follow metabolic parameter before, during, and up to 7 days after anaesthesia in healthy horses and in horses undergoing abdominal surgery due to colic. Methods: 20 healthy horses given anaesthesia alone and 20 colic horses subjected to emergency abdominal surgery were anaesthetised for a mean of 228 minutes and 183 minutes respectively. Blood for analysis o...
James AL, Vettorato E, Moura RA, Azevedo TMBPR, Mallicote MF, Chiavaccini L.Sedation with α₂-agonists can impair microcirculation and oxygen delivery. This prospective randomized crossover study investigated whether administering acepromazine maleate before detomidine hydrochloride maintains higher peripheral tissue oxygen saturation (StO₂) in sedated horses. Eight healthy adult horses randomly received intravenous detomidine (10 μg/kg) either alone (D) or in combination with acepromazine (20 μg/kg; DA), with a one-week washout. Hemoglobin concentration and central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO₂) were measured at baseline. Tissue oxygen saturation, tissue ...
Becerro-Rey L, Martín-Cano FE, Silva-Rodríguez A, Ortega-Ferrusola C, da Silva-Álvarez E, Ortiz-Placín C, Tapia JA, Gil MC, Peña FJ.Three isoforms of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) - LDHA (cytoplasmic), LDHB (mitochondrial), and LDHC (flagellar) - have been identified and localized in stallion spermatozoa. Functional inhibition assays indicate that these three isoforms constitute a lactate shuttle of crucial importance for sperm function. Unassigned: Stallion spermatozoa use different energy sources; while oxidative phosphorylation predominates, glycolysis and beta-oxidation of fatty acids are also present. Glycolysis depends on the availability of NAD+ as an electron acceptor. During glycolysis, NAD+ is reduced to NADH. To e...
Brandenberger O, Kalinovskiy A, Körner J, Genn H, Burger R, Leser S.The use of Bio-Electro-Magnetic-Energy-Regulation (BEMER) therapy during general anesthesia has not previously been reported in horses. This randomized, investigator-blinded, placebo-controlled trial evaluates equine cardiopulmonary function and recovery quality after BEMER therapy application for 15 min in 100 horses during general anesthesia using isoflurane for pars-plana vitrectomy surgery as treatment for recurrent uveitis. Visually identical blankets were used in the two groups (1:1 ratio), one with a functional BEMER module and the other with a placebo module. Arterial blood pressure, b...