Effects of electrolyte and glycerol supplementation on recovery from endurance exercise.
Abstract: Incomplete recovery from endurance exercise after an overnight rest period is reflected by persisting weight loss and an elevated plasma aldosterone concentration, even in successful competitors. To determine whether supplementation with high doses of electrolytes, with or without glycerol, enhances recovery, the following were measured in 6 Arabian horses before and after completion of a 60 km treadmill exercise test simulating an endurance ride and after 12, 24, 48, and 72 h of recovery: bodyweight; plasma osmolality; plasma concentrations of protein, electrolytes, aldosterone and cortisol; and urine and faecal electrolyte concentrations. Before and during the exercise test, horses were supplemented with a total of 2.4 ml/kg bwt of water (W); 0.2 g/kg bwt KCl and 0.4 g/kg bwt NaCl in 2.4 ml/kg bwt of water (E); or 0.2 g/kg bwt KCl and 0.4 g/kg bwt NaCl in 2.4 ml/kg bwt (3 g/kg bwt) of glycerol (GE). Although weight loss after completion of the simulated ride was greater (P < 0.01) for W (3.2%) than for E and GE (1.0 and 0.9%, respectively), horses supplemented with E or GE experienced further weight loss by 24 h after the simulated ride (2.2 and 2.1% for E and GE, respectively) while bodyweight with W remained unchanged (3.0%) from the finish value. After 48 h of recovery, bodyweight was not different from the starting values with E and GE but remained decreased (P < 0.01) with W throughout the recovery period (2.2% persisting weight loss after 72 h of recovery). Plasma osmolality and plasma Na+ and Cl- concentrations increased (P < 0.01) and plasma protein concentration decreased (P < 0.01) after the exercise test with E and GE but were unchanged with W. Plasma osmolality and protein and electrolyte concentrations returned to pre-exercise values within 12 h of recovery with the exception of a persistent increase in plasma Na+ concentration with GE. The greatest plasma aldosterone concentration was measured after 12 h of recovery with W (1357 pmol/l) and was greater (P < 0.02) than that with E and GE (24 and 304 pmol/l, respectively). Urine production during the simulated ride increased (P < 0.01) with GE and resulted in loss of approximately 20% and essentially 100% of supplemented Na+ and K+, respectively. In contrast, electrolyte losses in faeces were unaffected by electrolyte or glycerol supplementation. In conclusion, supplementation with high doses of electrolytes as hypertonic oral pastes attenuated weight loss during a simulated endurance ride (by enhancing voluntary water intake); however, it did not prevent development of significant weight loss during the initial 24 h of recovery. Glycerol administration resulted in no benefits, and actually increased urine electrolyte losses, in comparison to supplementation with electrolytes alone.
Publication Date: 2000-02-05 PubMed ID: 10659287DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb05253.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- P.H.S.
Summary
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This research examines how taking high doses of electrolytes, with or without glycerol, impacts recovery after endurance exercise. It comes to the conclusion that while electrolyte supplementation can minimize weight loss during the actual exercise, it doesn’t stop significant weight loss from occurring within the first 24 hours of recovery. Glycerol provided no benefits and actually increased the loss of electrolytes through urine.
Study Details
- The study involved six Arabian horses that were put through a 60 km treadmill exercise to simulate an endurance ride. The researchers measured various factors such as the horses’ body weight, plasma osmolality, plasma concentrations of protein, electrolytes, aldosterone, and cortisol, and the concentration of electrolytes in urine and faeces before and after the exercise. These measurements were also taken 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours post-exercise.
- The horses were given either: just water, water with 0.2 g/kg potassium chloride and 0.4 g/kg sodium chloride, or water with the same quantities of potassium chloride and sodium chloride plus glycerol, before and during the exercise.
- Weight loss after the simulated ride was greatest in the horses that were only given water. Those given electrolyte supplements had less weight loss.
- However, horses given the electrolyte supplements experienced further weight loss in the 24 hours post-exercise, while those that were only given water didn’t. After 48 hours, only the horses given water had a lower body weight compared to before the exercise.
- Electrolyte supplementation resulted in increased plasma osmolality and plasma sodium and chloride concentrations after the exercise. It also led to a decrease in plasma protein concentration.
- Plasma osmolality and protein and electrolyte concentrations returned to pre-exercise levels within 12 hours of recovery, except for sodium concentration, which remained elevated in the horses given electrolyte supplements with glycerol.
- Aldosterone concentration was highest in the horses given only water and was greater than in the horses given electrolytes, with or without glycerol.
- Glycerol supplementation resulted in increased urine production and, consequently, greater loss of the supplemented sodium and potassium.
- Neither electrolyte or glycerol supplementation affected electrolyte loss in faeces.
- The study concluded that supplementing with high doses of electrolytes minimized weight loss during the actual endurance ride by encouraging water intake. However, it didn’t prevent significant weight loss from happening within the first 24 hours of recovery.
- The addition of glycerol did not provide any benefits and led to an increased loss of electrolytes through urine compared to electrolyte supplementation alone.
Key Findings
Conclusions
Cite This Article
APA
Schott HC, Düsterdieck KF, Eberhart SW, Woody KA, Refsal KR, Coenen M.
(2000).
Effects of electrolyte and glycerol supplementation on recovery from endurance exercise.
Equine Vet J Suppl(30), 384-393.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb05253.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1314, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed
- Animals
- Dietary Supplements
- Electrolytes / pharmacology
- Female
- Glycerol / pharmacology
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Water-Electrolyte Balance
Grant Funding
- P42ES04911 / NIEHS NIH HHS
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Verdegaal EJMM, Howarth GS, McWhorter TJ, Boshuizen B, Franklin SH, Vidal Moreno de Vega C, Jonas SE, Folwell LE, Delesalle CJG. Continuous Monitoring of the Thermoregulatory Response in Endurance Horses and Trotter Horses During Field Exercise: Baselining for Future Hot Weather Studies. Front Physiol 2021;12:708737.
- Walker WT, Callan RJ, Hill AE, Tisher KB. Effects of oral powder electrolyte administration on packed cell volume, plasma chemistry parameters, and incidence of colic in horses participating in a 6-day 162-km trail ride. Can Vet J 2014 Aug;55(8):765-71.
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