Bounce Back with BCAAs by Kristen Janicki, MS, PAS
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rotein is a major component of most body tissues, second only to water. Protein consists of building blocks called amino acids. There are 21 different amino acids that can be linked and combined in different configurations to produce a variety of proteins. Of those 21 amino acids, nine of them are categorized as ‘essential amino acids’ that the horse cannot synthesize in the body and therefore must consume in the diet. Exercise increases the horse’s requirement for protein for muscle development, muscle repair and recovery. In particular, the essential amino acids lysine and threonine are both important for muscle building and maintenance during training and performance. Also, protein is lost in sweat. During intense exercise horses can lose as much as 2 percent of their body weight in sweat, and that means quite a bit of protein loss as well! How do branched-chain amino acids fit into this picture? The branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs, include leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They represent three of the nine amino acids considered essential for the horse, with their name referring to their branched chemical structure. You may have heard of BCAAs being used by body builders or athletes as a performance supplement. In humans, BCAAs have been proven to help: • Increase muscle growth • Improve physical strength • Reduce muscle soreness and fatigue • Increase fat metabolism for weight loss • Help to regulate blood sugar • Stimulate immune function How do BCAAs support performance in horses? Can BCAAs benefit performance horses in the same way as human athletes? It’s possible! Energy demands (think exercise intensity) and fuel (think diet) are important factors that influence performance ability. The principal sources of fuel for physical exercise in horses are supplied by carbohydrates and fats. Similar to human athletes, protein serves as a very minor energy source during exercise in horses. However, protein is an essential component of strong, healthy muscles. In fact, BCAAs are metabolized during all intensities of exercise, as seen by researchers from the University of Messina in Italy (Arfuso et al., 2019), and although they may not be contributing to energy, they are most likely playing a major role in the recovery process after exercise, helping in muscle energy replenishment and muscle repair. Most of the studies done in horses have focused on post-exercise muscle repair and muscle recovery, including replenishment of muscle glycogen, the storage form of glucose used for energy during exercise. At the University of Guelph, researchers looked at whether leucine supplementation could alter post-exercise glycogen and protein synthesis in the muscle. They found that the BCAA leucine may have beneficial effects on the rate of glycogen synthesis
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after exercise and indicated that protein synthesis may be reduced if the other BCAAs, isoleucine and valine, are limited (Urschel et al., 2010). At the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, researchers administered leucine at one- and four-hours post-exercise and found that leucine may have stimulated greater protein synthesis (building) and inhibited protein degradation (breakdown) (Nostell et al., 2012). Taken together, research suggests that if a horse is competing or working on multiple days in a row, BCAAs may be beneficial for supporting that horse’s daily recovery, muscle repair and soreness. Could BCAAs be right for your horse? Thinking about incorporating BCAAs into your performance horse’s diet? Here are some situations where BCAAs may be helpful: • Horses competing at all intensities of work • Horses starting into a training program • Horses coming back into training after layup or injury • ntly for shows, racing or trail rides Rich sources of BCAAs include red meat and dairy products, but that doesn’t mean you have to start grilling up a steak for your horse! More than likely, you already feed something containing soybeans. Soybeans are a great source of BCAAs as well as the other essential amino acids, plus serve as a highly digestible protein source for horses. Whey protein is another option. It is generally recommended that daily BCAA use be followed for the optimum performance benefits, but there may be some benefits to supplementing BCAA post-exercise as well. Wrapping it up Just like in human athletes, branched chain amino acid supplementation with performance horses may help to support muscle repair, recovery, and energy replenishment in the muscle. If you have questions about whether BCAAs could be helpful to your performance horse, talk to your veterinarian or equine nutritionist. Kristen Janicki, MS, PAS is a Technical Marketing Specialist for MARS Horsecare US/BUCKEYE™ Nutrition, responsible for technical nutrition support, digital and social media, and working collaboratively with the Senior Nutrition Manager in providing high-quality nutritional content. Headquartered in Dalton, Ohio, BUCKEYE Nutrition has been manufacturing quality products since 1910. BUCKEYE Nutrition takes feed safety seriously, implementing many programs mandated in human food manufacturing facilities. With the backing of the WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute, a worldleading authority on pet care and widely renowned as an institution of the highest scientific caliber, our equine nutritionists provide scientifically-based equine nutritional solutions which guide our formulations and our BUCKEYE Nutrition brand promise of being the highest quality, fixed formula feeds available. BUCKEYE Nutrition is a 100 percent equine-focused company, 100 percent medicationfree facility, sourcing 100 percent traceable, pure ingredients for consistency. www.BuckeyeNutrition.com. 800/898-9467.
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
August 2021
