Cardio-respiratory, haematological and biochemical parameter adjustments to exercise: effect of a probiotic in horses during training.
Abstract: Two randomly distributed groups of thoroughbred horses were compared during a 12-week period for their cardio-respiratory and metabolic adjustment to strenuous exercise, training and detraining. The horses were trained following the same standardized schedule and were regularly investigated using standardized treadmill exercise tests (SET) of increasing speed. After the first SET and during the whole experimental period, a group of 6 horses received a probiotic (Bioracing) once a day while a group of 5 horses received a placebo. All other conditions were similar for both groups. During each SET, the oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide output, tidal volume (inspired volume), respiratory rate and expired minute volume were obtained using 2 ultrasonic pneumotachographs and a mass spectrometer. All the parameters were the mean of the values calculated during the last 20 s of the SET. Heart rate was continuously measured with a polar horse tester. Venous blood was sampled before and after the test and analyzed for various biochemical parameters. In both groups, training induced significant modification in most of the cardio-respiratory parameters, ie peak oxygen uptake, peak carbon dioxide output, respiratory exchange ratio, ventilation/min to oxygen-uptake ratio and oxygen-uptake to heart-rate ratio. After the 3-week detraining period, most of the values were again similar to the pre-training values in both groups. However, the training-induced modifications of most of the cardio-respiratory parameters occurred earlier and were proportionally greater in the probiotic-treated group than in the control. The respiratory coefficient decreased in the control but not in the treated group. All other parameters changed similarly in both groups. This suggests that Bioracing could modify the physiological effects of training by improving some aerobic metabolic capacities for carbohydrate utilization, but that this effect occurs only during training and not during periods of physical inactivity.
Publication Date: 1994-01-01 PubMed ID: 8087145
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- Clinical Trial
- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
Summary
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This research study investigates the impact of probiotics on the cardio-respiratory, hematological and biochemical responses of horses undergoing a period of intense exercise and training. The findings suggest that the probiotic Bioracing influences the efficiency of these parameters, particularly during active training, enhancing some aerobic metabolic capacities for carbohydrate utilization.
Methodology and Participants
- The study was conducted on two groups of thoroughbred horses, with one group comprising 6 horses receiving the probiotic Bioracing daily, and the other group of 5 horses given a placebo.
- Both groups followed the same training schedule and conditions over a 12 week period, consisting of a cycle of strenuous exercise, training and detraining.
- All horses were subjected to standardized treadmill exercise tests (SET), which incrementally increased in speed, from which cardio-respiratory and metabolic data were obtained.
- Devices like ultrasonic pneumotachographs and a mass spectrometer were used to measure oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide output, tidal volume (inspired volume), respiratory rate and expired minute volume during each SET. The heart rate was continuously measured with a Polar horse tester.
- Venous blood samples were also retrieved before and after each test and analyzed for various biochemical parameters.
Key Findings
- Training resulted in significant changes in most cardio-respiratory parameters for both groups. These changes were however found to occur earlier and were significantly greater in the group receiving Bioracing probiotic.
- After a 3-week detraining period, these parameters mostly returned to pre-training values for both groups.
- In the control group, the respiratory coefficient decreased, a change not seen in the group treated with the probiotic.
- Other parameters showed similar changes in both groups.
Conclusions and Implications
- The study concludes that Bioracing, the probiotic tested in this study, can potentially alter the physiological effects of training by improving some aerobic metabolic capacities for carbohydrate utilization.
- However, the changes were noted only during the training periods and not during periods of physical inactivity.
- This research implies potential benefits of integrating probiotics like Bioracing into the sports nutrition of horses and possibly other athletic animals, though further research is required to solidify this claim and investigate long-term effects.
Cite This Article
APA
Art T, Votion D, McEntee K, Amory H, Linden A, Close R, Lekeux P.
(1994).
Cardio-respiratory, haematological and biochemical parameter adjustments to exercise: effect of a probiotic in horses during training.
Vet Res, 25(4), 361-370.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Centre de Médecine Sportive Equine, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Liège, Belgium.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed
- Animals
- Carbon Dioxide / metabolism
- Exercise Test / veterinary
- Female
- Food Microbiology
- Food, Fortified
- Heart Rate
- Horses / blood
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Oxygen Consumption
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
- Respiration
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Mienaltowski MJ, Belt A, Henderson JD, Boyd TN, Marter N, Maga EA, DePeters EJ. Psyllium supplementation is associated with changes in the fecal microbiota of horses.. BMC Res Notes 2020 Sep 29;13(1):459.
- Laghi L, Zhu C, Campagna G, Rossi G, Bazzano M, Laus F. Probiotic supplementation in trained trotter horses: effect on blood clinical pathology data and urine metabolomic assessed in field.. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2018 Aug 1;125(2):654-660.
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