Amino acid concentrations in blood serum of horses performing long lasting low-intensity exercise.
Abstract: The aim of this work was to evaluate the changes in the concentrations, after two rides different for distance covered, of different amino acids in endurance horses. Blood samples have been collected from horses just before the start, at the top of a steep slope (819 m difference in height) and just at the end of a 32-km endurance ride. A second group, competing in a 72 km endurance ride, has also been sampled immediately before and after the race. In serum samples, the concentrations of alanine, arginine, asparagine, glycine, isoleucine, histidine, leucine, lysine, methionine, ornithine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine and valine have been measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). anova and t-test have been used to study the differences in the concentrations of the amino acids. The pre-ride concentrations of the free amino acids were different between the two races, except for methionine and leucine. Differences between start and end race have been found for both groups for all the considered parameters except asparagine, isoleucine, leucine and lysine for the 72 km ride. Increases have been recorded for the shorter and decreases for the longer ride in the blood serum concentrations. Significant increases have also been found between the starting sampling and the second, at the top of the slope, only for alanine, arginine, asparagines, phenylalanine and lysine. The ride length has a significant impact on blood serum amino acids mobilization and uptake; in the shorter race the increases stand only for mobilization, whereas in the longer the decrease can be considered the effect of the onset of the amino acids catabolism.
Publication Date: 2005-03-25 PubMed ID: 15787986DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2005.00556.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research is aimed at understanding how long-lasting, low-intensity exercise impacts the concentrations of different amino acids in the blood serum of endurance horses. The study required blood samples from horses competing in two different endurance rides of varying distance, and the changes in the amino acid concentrations were analysed using statistical methods.
Experimental Design
- The study took blood samples from horses competing in a 32-km endurance ride and a 72-km endurance ride. The samples were drawn just before the start, at the top of a slope with a height difference of 819 meters, and right after the conclusion.
- The experiment monitored the concentrations of multiple amino acids in the serum samples.
- The collected data was then analysed using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and t-test statistical tools.
Research Findings
- It was observed that the concentrations of free amino acids before the start of the race differed between the two races, with the exception of methionine and leucine.
- Significant differences in amino acid concentrations between the start and end of the race were noted for both groups under consideration, with the exceptions of asparagine, isoleucine, leucine, and lysine for the 72 km ride.
- Specifically, for the shorter ride, increases were noted, while for the longer ride, decreases in amino acid concentrations were reported.
- In addition, significant increases were found only for alanine, arginine, asparagine, phenylalanine, and lysine between the starting and second sampling at the height of the slope.
Conclusions
- The length of the ride substantially impacts the mobilization and uptake of blood serum amino acids.
- In short races, the increase in concentrations indicates only an increase in mobilization.
- On the other hand, decrease in concentration during longer races may be understood as a result of the initiation of amino acid catabolism.
Cite This Article
APA
Bergero D, Assenza A, Schiavone A, Piccione G, Perona G, Caola G.
(2005).
Amino acid concentrations in blood serum of horses performing long lasting low-intensity exercise.
J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl), 89(3-6), 146-150.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0396.2005.00556.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia ed Ecologia, Università di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinvi 44, 10195 Grugliasco, Torino, Italy. domenico.bergero@unito.it
MeSH Terms
- Amino Acids / administration & dosage
- Amino Acids / blood
- Amino Acids, Branched-Chain / blood
- Analysis of Variance
- Animals
- Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods
- Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / veterinary
- Dietary Proteins / administration & dosage
- Dietary Proteins / metabolism
- Horses / blood
- Horses / metabolism
- Horses / physiology
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
- Physical Endurance / physiology
- Random Allocation
- Sports
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Acri G, Testagrossa B, Piccione G, Arfuso F, Giudice E, Giannetto C. Central and Peripheral Fatigue Evaluation during Physical Exercise in Athletic Horses by Means of Raman Spectroscopy. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jul 5;13(13).
- Staniszewska M, Kowalik S, Sadok I, Kędzierski W. The Influence of Exercise Intensity on Tryptophan Metabolites in Thoroughbred Horses. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023 Jan 11;16(1).
- Main SC, Brown LP, Melvin KR, Campagna SR, Voy BH, Castro HF, Strickland LG, Hines MT, Jacobs RD, Gordon ME, Ivey JLZ. Metabolomic Profiles in Starved Light Breed Horses during the Refeeding Process. Animals (Basel) 2022 Sep 21;12(19).
- Le Moyec L, Robert C, Triba MN, Billat VL, Mata X, Schibler L, Barrey E. Protein catabolism and high lipid metabolism associated with long-distance exercise are revealed by plasma NMR metabolomics in endurance horses. PLoS One 2014;9(3):e90730.
- Alberghina D, Giannetto C, Piccione G. Peripheral serotoninergic response to physical exercise in athletic horses. J Vet Sci 2010 Dec;11(4):285-9.
- Reemtsma FP, Giers J, Horstmann S, Stoeckle SD, Gehlen H. Evaluation of Concentration Changes in Plasma Amino Acids and Their Metabolites in Eventing Horses During Cross-Country Competitions as Potential Performance Predictors. Animals (Basel) 2025 Dec 17;15(24).
- Reemtsma FP, Giers J, Horstmann S, Stoeckle SD, Gehlen H. Concentration Changes in Plasma Amino Acids and Their Metabolites in Eventing Horses During Cross-Country Competitions. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jun 22;15(13).
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