The effect of dietary fish oil supplementation on exercising horses.

The research paper explores the effect of fish oil supplement on the metabolic response of exercising horses. The findings reveal that fish oil supplement contributes to lower heart rate, plasma glucose concentration during recovery, and cholesterol levels among others, thus suggesting that it modifies exercise metabolism in conditioned horses.

Research Design and Methodology

• The study involved ten horses from either Thoroughbred or Standardbred breeds. These horses were divided into two groups, with six horses fed with a diet supplemented with fish oil and four horses fed on a diet supplemented with corn oil.
• The fish oil used comprised of 10.6% eicosapentaenoic acid and 8% docosahexaenoic acid. The supplemental oil was included in the daily diet of these horses at a rate of 324 mg/kg body weight.
• The experiment ran for 63 days, during which, the horses were subjected to daily exercises, gradually increasing in intensity over time, in a round pen or on a treadmill.
• At the end of the experiment, all the horses performed an exercise test where their heart rates, blood samples, and packed cell volume were monitored and recorded.

Findings and Analysis

• The results demonstrated that the horses fed with the fish oil supplement presented with a lower heart rate during exercise.
• There was a tendency for these same horses to host lower packed cell volume.
• There were no differences in plasma lactate concentrations and glucose concentrations during exercise between the horses fed on fish oil and those fed on corn oil. However, the plasma glucose levels were observed to be lower after exercise (during recovery) in the horses supplemented with fish oil.
• The fish oil supplemented horses showed a propensity for lower insulin levels throughout the exercise.
• The ratios of glucose to insulin were generally higher in the fish oil-supplemented horses during the exercise.
• The concentration of plasma free fatty acids (FFA) was lower in the horses fed with fish oil during the initial stages of the exercise test. Similarly, these horses also showed lower serum glycerol concentrations.
• The levels of serum cholesterol were lower in the horses fed with the fish oil supplement, while the levels of serum triglycerides were not affected by the treatment.

Conclusion

• The research suggests that introduction of fish oil in the diet influences exercise metabolism in conditioned horses, supporting lower heart rate, blood sugar levels during recovery, and cholesterol levels.