The influence of metabolic alkalosis upon exercise metabolism in the thoroughbred horse.
Abstract: Six thoroughbred horses exercised on a motorised treadmill on two separate occasions at a speed of 11 or 12 m.s-1 for up to 2 min. 4 h prior to exercise each horse was given a 21 test solution of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3; 0.6 g.kg-1 body mass) or a control solution of water by nasogastric intubation, the order of administration of the two solutions was randomised. Blood samples (n = 15) were obtained before and during the 4 h after intubation, during exercise and for 30 min after exercise. NaHCO3 ingestion resulted in changes in pre-exercise acid-base status. The changes in blood lactate and base excess with exercise were greater after NaHCO3 administration; after 1 min of exercise in the case of lactate (P less than 0.05) and immediately after exercise in the case of base excess (P less than 0.05). Plasma ammonia levels were lower during (P less than 0.05) and immediately after (P less than 0.05) exercise following NaHCO3 ingestion. The peak change in plasma ammonia with exercise was also lower after NaHCO3 ingestion (P less than 0.05). Following exercise after NaHCO3 ingestion, five horses demonstrated lower muscle adenosine 5-triphosphate loss (P less than 0.05) and inosine 5-monophosphate formation (P = 0.05) and higher glycerol 3-phosphate formation (P less than 0.05). There is evidence to suggest that metabolic alkalosis may delay the onset of fatigue by decreasing the extent of adenine nucleotide loss during high-intensity exercise.
Publication Date: 1991-01-01 PubMed ID: 1748103DOI: 10.1007/BF00235182Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research paper investigates the impact of metabolic alkalosis, induced by sodium bicarbonate ingestion, on exercise metabolism in thoroughbred horses. The study reveals that such alkalosis could perhaps defer the onset of fatigue during high-intensity exercise by reducing the loss of adenine nucleotide.
Research Process
- Six thoroughbred horses were exercised on a motorised treadmill at a speed of 11 or 12 m.s-1 for up to 2 minutes. This process occurred twice.
- Four hours before the exercise, each horse was given a 21 test solution of sodium bicarbonate (0.6 g.kg-1 body mass) or a control solution of water by nasogastric intubation. The administration of the two solutions was randomised.
- Blood samples were taken from the horses before and during the 4 hours after intubation, during exercise, and for 30 minutes post exercise.
Findings
- Ingestion of sodium bicarbonate resulted in changes in pre-exercise acid-base status, implying that it induced metabolic alkalosis in horses.
- There were noticeable changes in blood lactate and base excess levels with exercise after sodium bicarbonate administration; the increase proved to be significantly higher after 1 minute of exercising in the case of lactate and immediately after exercise in the case of base excess.
- Plasma ammonia levels were observed to be lower during and immediately after exercise following sodium bicarbonate ingestion. The peak change in plasma ammonia with exercise was also lower after sodium bicarbonate ingestion.
- Post exercise, five out of the six horses demonstrated a lower decrease in muscle adenosine 5-triphosphate (ATP) and a lower formation of inosine 5-monophosphate (IMP), and an increased formation of glycerol 3-phosphate, after sodium bicarbonate ingestion.
Conclusion
- The observed effects suggest that metabolic alkalosis has the potential to delay the onset of fatigue during high-intensity exercise by minimizing the loss of adenine nucleotide.
- This could have significant implications for the athletic performance of thoroughbred horses, and potentially for athletic endurance in other species as well.
Cite This Article
APA
Greenhaff PL, Harris RC, Snow DH, Sewell DA, Dunnett M.
(1991).
The influence of metabolic alkalosis upon exercise metabolism in the thoroughbred horse.
Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol, 63(2), 129-134.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235182 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Comparative Physiology, Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, Suffolk, England.
MeSH Terms
- Acid-Base Equilibrium / physiology
- Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
- Ammonia / blood
- Animals
- Blood Gas Analysis
- Energy Metabolism / physiology
- Fatigue / metabolism
- Female
- Glycerophosphates / metabolism
- Horses
- Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
- Inosine Triphosphate / metabolism
- Lactates / blood
- Male
- Muscles / metabolism
- Physical Exertion / physiology
References
This article includes 22 references
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Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Lambert CP, Greenhaff PL, Ball D, Maughan RJ. Influence of sodium bicarbonate ingestion on plasma ammonia accumulation during incremental exercise in man. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1993;66(1):49-54.
- Sewell DA, Gleeson M, Blannin AK. Hyperammonaemia in relation to high-intensity exercise duration in man. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1994;69(4):350-4.
- Sewell DA, Harris RC. Adenine nucleotide degradation in the thoroughbred horse with increasing exercise duration. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1992;65(3):271-7.
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