Effect of a post exercise fat-supplemented diet on muscle glycogen repletion

Low muscle glycogen at the beginning of exercise may adversely affect performance, increase protein degradation and contribute to the onset of fatigue. As horses are sometimes required to compete on consecutive days both in racing and endurance types of competition, optimal muscle glycogen repletion may improve performance on the day following a race day. The purpose of this experiment was to study the effects of fat supplementation on repletion of muscle glycogen. Twelve Finnhorses performed an exercise test on a treadmill, and 2 and 4 h later they received hay and concentrate (Trial A). Two weeks later these horses performed the same exercise test and were fed the same diet supplemented with either 1000 g of carbohydrate or 400 g of vegetable oil (Trial B). A third trial (Trial C) was 3 weeks later, identical to Trial B, except that the fat group had already been adapted to dietary fat for 3 weeks. Blood samples were analysed for lactate, glucose, glycerol, triglycerides, NEFA, cholesterol, beta-OH-butyrate, insulin and glucagon and muscle samples were analysed for glycogen and triglycerides. The results indicate that in horses not adapted to fat feeding, fat supplementation slows the rate of muscle glycogen repletion, and that after an adaptation period, fat supplementation does not alter the rate of muscle glycogen repletion compared to the rate with a normal diet.