Oral creatine supplementation on performance of Quarter Horses used in barrel racing.

This study explores the impact of oral creatine supplementation on performance in barrel racing Quarter Horses and finds no notable improvement in athletic performance post supplementation.

Introduction and Methodology

• The study takes aim at assessing the effects that oral creatine supplementation has on the athletic performance of barrel racing horses. This is achieved by using a sample set of ten healthy Quarter Horses and Quarter Horse crossbreds.
• Overall, the equine subjects weighed an average of 429.7 ± 25.3 kg and had an average age of 3.8±1.2 years. These factors formed the core demographics of the horse sample in this investigation.
• To assess the effects of the creatine supplementation, the horses were evaluated at four different stages: M1, M2, M3, and M4. Crucially, between stages M3 and M4, each horse was administered an oral dose of creatine, set at 28g per 100kg of body weight over a 45-day period. The dosages were planned for duration and administration to optimize potential effects on performance.

Observations and Findings

• The study observed significant alterations in a number of factors including LDH activity, plasma glucose, and packed cell volume. These differences indicate the supplement does have some influence on the horses’ physical parameters.
• However, beyond the significant alterations mentioned, there was no noted improvement in the athletic performance in these Quarter Horses. Notably, the time scores, heart rate, and plasma lactate levels – which are often considered general indicators of performance – remained unchanged before and after creatine supplementation. These results suggest that creatine does not enhance performance as initially hypothesized.
• This significant finding contradicts the common assumption that creatine supplementation should naturally improve muscular endurance and overall strength.

Conclusion

• The study concludes that there is no observable performance improvement in Quarter Horses used in barrel racing, even after oral supplementation with creatine. This suggests that such supplements may not be beneficial for this specific purpose.