<< Ok , Tom, are you saying that by raising the blood levels of glucose with
grain feedings...carbs..before an endurance race that you are sparing the
glycogen stored in the cells? Please help me here. I am confused. I thought
that when you raised blood glucose you consequently raised insulin which
caused the body to store the glucose rather than to use it. I thought it was
instead a good idea to have a higher glucogan level than insulin operating
that would encourage the body to draw fat from cells to use for energy. I am
totally confused now. Can you help straighten me out?
Donna in Altoona >>
The purpose of feeding carbohydrates is not to raise blood glucose, but to
supply energy to working muscles. The potential energy doesn't go away just
because the body regulates blood sugar back to normal. Those carbs are moved
into muscle, as glycogen, through the action of insulin. As far as blood
glucose is concerned, the only thing you have to avoid is very low levels at
the beginning of a high intensity exercise--the horse will be too sleepy to
blast out of the starting gate--not a problem with endurance horses.
Drawing significant fat from body stores represents an emergency situation
for the body. It's best not to be dependent on fat at any time during
virtually every athletic event.
ti