Re: RC: Re: ti's "article"

[Tivers@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/27/99 3:34:18 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Farafix writes:

<< OK Susan & Tom, for us dummys out here, are you saying that if a horse gets
so lean that it must burn muscle for energy, that if you put weight back on
the horse, the muscle will not be rebuilt?>

Susand says that; I don't.
 
> If I'm following your discussion correctly, it sounds like a little bit of
fat is good on the horse to ensure it won't burn up muscle for fuel on a
competition.>

And that's the error. The presence of adipose tissue will not ensure that
muscle protein is not catabolized for energy. The presence of blood glucose
and muscle glycogen will.
 
> I have noticed in my experience that the horses sometimes look like they
drop a noticeable amount of weight after a competition, especially in the
summer (even tho my horses usually vet out with almost all A's & don't seem to
be terribly dehydated). Fortunately, my easy keepers have had the weight to
lose!>

Most of that weight loss is water--2 to 3 grams of water for every gram of
muscle glycogen burned plus that lost in sweat and respiration. The way to
determine the relative loss of muscle protein is via blood tests for muscle
enzymes (CK and AST).

The "eyeball" test for muscle damage is stifflness and muscle soreness as well
as a delayed recovery of body weight (several days rather than 48 hours).
 
 Thanks,
 Nancy
 Md >>


ti


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