Vinegar

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Susan Garlinghouse suendavid@worldnet.att.net
>Been meaning to ask about this.   At the AERC conference there were folks 
>selling a vinegar based product to acidify the gut, in order to >reduce the 
>chances of enterolith formation.   In Tom Ivers' book TFR II, >he mentions the 
>use of bicarb "milkshake" to alkalinize the gut, and evidenty >help counteract 
>blood lactic acid build up during performance. 

>Does anyone actually know the physiology involved here or is >this all 
>assumption?  In humans, it would take fairly large doses of >acid/base to 
>significantly impact gut pH, much less blood pH.   Does feeding >an acidic 
>food change the pH of the hindgut?   Does feeding an akaline >product affect 
>blood chemistry?   Heidi?   Sarah?   Tom?

>Pat Farmer


Pat,
You're right, it takes a lot of vinegar to change the pH of the hindgut.  There is some (very little) research which indicates a slight pH change when several cups of vinegar a day are added to the ration, whether or not they have any really significant effect on enterolith formation is doubtful and definitely unproven.  The easiest way to acidify the hindgut is to just not feed an alkalizing ration in the first place, of which large amounts of alfalfa are the most common culprit.  Feeding grass/cereal grain hays and grains have a much more significant effect than a cup of vinegar will do.  Feeding anything acidic will not have an effect on blood pH, as the mechanisms in the body to control pH within narrow parameters are extensive and extremely efficient, assuming no renal pathology.  Besides avoiding an alkaline ration, you can also decrease enterolith risk by not feeding large amounts of bran along with large amounts of Southwest-grown alfalfa, as the combination of magnesium, ammonium and phosphorus from those two feeds provide the substrates of which enteroliths are composed.

I spoke to those same vendors at the trade show and wasn't exactly overwhelmed by their knowledge, hypotheses of their product's action or even understanding of basic physiology.  In your post above, you made a few very simple statements that would indicate to me you have a far better understanding of acid-base.  Trust your own instincts and save your money.

Best regards,
Susan Garlinghouse, MS
http:/www.shady-acres.com/susan/