QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bullimore, S. R. Articles by Geor, R. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bullimore, S. R. Articles by Geor, R. J.

---

Article

Carbohydrate Supplementation of Horses During Endurance Exercise: Comparison of Fructose and Glucose¹

Sharon R. Bullimore^*, Joe D. Pagan^*2, Patricia A. Harris, Kari E. Hoekstra^*, Kathleen A. Roose^*, Sonja C. Gardner^* and Ray J. Geor^*

^* Kentucky Equine Research, Inc., Versailles, Kentucky 40383 and Equine Studies Group, WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Leicestershire, LE14 5RT, UK.

²To whom correspondence should be addressed.

To delay the onset of fatigue, endurance horses are often fed at rest stops during races. The resulting increase in blood insulin may adversely inhibit lipolysis. In humans, ingestion of fructose produces a smaller insulin rise than glucose. This study compared glucose and fructose as carbohydrate supplements for endurance horses. Three Arabian geldings were given 300 g of fructose (F), glucose (G) or 50% glucose: 50% fructose (GF), in 1.5 L water, by stomach tube. In the Resting Test, carbohydrate was administered at rest. Following treatment, blood samples were taken every 30 min for 8 h, and feces were collected for 24 h. Treatment did not affect fecal weight or water content. Plasma glucose and insulin responses did not differ among treatments. Post-treatment (60 min), plasma L-lactate tended to be higher (P = 0.06) after the F and GF treatments than after the G treatment. In the Exercise Test, two treadmill exercise bouts at 0° incline (Bout 1: 90 min; Bout 2: 120 min) were separated by a 1-h rest period. A total distance of 36.84 km was covered at a mean speed of 2.9 m/s. Carbohydrate was administered 45 min before Bout 2. Plasma glucose and insulin at the start of Bout 2 were higher (P = 0.02 and 0.03, respectively) with the GF treatment than with the F treatment. However, during exercise, plasma glucose concentrations did not differ among treatments. We conclude that fructose is well-absorbed by horses and rapidly converted to glucose.

KEY WORDS: • horse • carbohydrate • fructose • glucose • endurance exercise