The three branched chain amino acids Valine, Leucine, and Isoleucine make up one third of all muscle protein. This group of amino acids help to maintain muscle tissue; they also are needed during times of physical stress and intense exercise.

These aminos, especially Valine, are used in large amounts during intense exercise and are needed for the maintenance of muscle tissue and anecdotal evidence suggests that they assist in preserving muscle stores of glycogen. Exercise increases muscle activity resulting in significant losses of these three branched chain amino acids. Supplementing with Branch Paste after exercise helps replace these losses and optimise muscle repair maximising muscle building.

Supplementation may be useful in prolonging endurance performance in the heat.

Leucine: Regulation of protein turnover and energy metabolism. Maintains muscle strength especially during times of physical stress and intensive exercise Inhibits the breakdown of muscle proteins that may occur after trauma or severe stress, and stimulates insulin release .

Isoleucine: Antioxidant – supports the cell-protecting action of vitamin E by detoxifying peroxides Necessary for growth and fertility in animals Aids in the prevention of white muscle disease.

Valine: Improves energy metabolism and protein synthesis (NRC, 1989). Maintains muscle strength especially during times of physical stress and intensive exercise.

Selenium: Antioxidant – supports the cell-protecting action of vitamin E by detoxifying peroxides Necessary for growth and fertility in animals Aids in the prevention of white muscle disease

Technical Issues:

Amino acids are the building blocks of all protein, and as such they are essential for the synthesis of structural proteins, enzymes, some hormones and neurotransmitters, as well as being essential in many metabolic pathways that affect exercise metabolism. Some amino acids are classed as “essential”, because they are not manufactured by the horse, but are required in the diet regularly for growth and tissue maintenance.

The three Branch Chain amino acids – Valine, Leucine and Isoleucine are all classed as “essential” amino acids. These three amino acids are most plentiful in muscle tissue – making up over one third of the volume of muscle protein. As muscles burn up available BCAA’s during exertion, they begin to break down muscle tissue to provide these essential BCAA’s to fuel more activity. Muscle cell damage results in reduced ability to contract and relax during extreme exertion, with resultant muscle fatigue, lactic acidosis, loss of performance and delayed recovery as muscle tissue repairs itself.

After water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the body, and roughly one third of horse protein is found in muscle. While all protein is made up of amino acids, all proteins are not the same, though they are all manufactured using different combinations of the same 22 amino acids. They have different functions, and work in many different areas of the body.

The three branch chain amino acids (BCAA’s) are particularly important for muscle synthesis, muscle growth and muscle repair. These BCAA’s are constantly damaged during hard physical exercise, and constantly require replenishment as horses recover from hard work.

In addition, the BCAA’s, particularly Leucine, also seem to spare muscle from being broken down to provide energy during exercise, so pre-competition administration of BRANCH PASTE may be useful in preserving muscle tissue. The BCAA’s also reduce muscle enzyme release when muscle tissue is damaged.
During endurance exercise, the BCAA’s are actually taken up directly by the muscle tissue, not broken down by normal energy production pathways.

Research conducted in horses confirms that serum Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine levels decrease after exercise, and can take up to 48 hours to return to normal.

The effect of Branch Paste administered immediately after hard work is to maximise the recovery of muscle tissue after hard exercise, while the effect of administration prior to hard exercise may be more to spare muscle tissue from breakdown during hard work.

Conditioning horses for hard competition requires hard workouts. By introducing BCAA’s into the training program, their use before and after heavy training provides the levels of BCAA’s required, without breaking down excess muscle tissue, and without requiring long recovery periods.
BCAA’s are a normal component of food, and they are rapidly absorbed from paste administration; ready to be used to fuel muscle activity as required. Adequate levels of circulating BCAA’s in the blood mean less lactic acid is produced in muscle tissue during heavy exertion.

Glutamine, another amino acid, also promotes muscle growth, and is also vital as a fuel for white blood cells, so reduced glutamine levels can contribute to immune suppression after exercise. By supplementing glutamine in Branch Paste, both immune status and muscle health are maintained under the stress of heavy work.

L-Carnitine has an important essential role in the transportation of fats into cells for energy production. This is important in performance horses, as muscle glycogen (carbohydrate) stores can be conserved until periods of maximum exertion require carbohydrates for rapid anaerobic energy production. (fats are not able to fuel maximal anaerobic work, as fats require more complex breakdown processes before they are available to produce ATP. Only carbohydrates fuel maximum exertion).

Selenium is a potent antioxidant trace mineral helping reduce free radical damage to muscle cells when hard physical work is conducted. The presentation as Selplex 50 ensures maximum bioavailability and absorption.

Summary

The branch chain amino acids are essential for the growth, maintenance and repair of muscle tissue in horses. They are heavily damaged during hard exertion, and require constant replenishment.

As the three BCAA’s Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine are essential amino acids, they are not manufactured by the horse, and must be obtained from the diet, or from supplementation.

The BCAA’s play an important role in sparing the breakdown of muscle tissue, delaying onset of lactic acidosis and muscle fatigue, as well as in muscle repair during recovery.

Supplementation with BCAA’s will help preserve muscle tissue and maximise recovery.

Features: Benefits:

1. Supplies the essential BCAA’s Essential to prevent muscle tissue breakdown during hard exercise, and to maximise recovery and muscle repair after hard work.

2. Supplies the amino acid glutamine Critical to maintaining immune status during hard training and work

3. Supplies the amino acid L-Carnitine Essential in conversion of fats into energy, thus sparing muscle glycogen stores.

4. Use prior to hard exercise BCAA’s help spare muscle tissue from breakdown and maintain maximum muscle function, with less lactic acid production.

5. Use immediately after hard exercise Muscle repair commences immediately after exercise stops to maximise repair & recovery.

6. Single dose oral syringe Portable, easy oral doing. Fast absorption.

Combining supplements for maximum recovery

Branch Paste given orally prior to hard work will help prevent muscle breakdown.

Administer as soon as possible after hard work to make sure maximum BCAA’s are available for muscle tissue to repair during the recovery period that commences within 30 minutes of completion of hard exercise.

Ensure adequate electrolyte balance at all times by supplementing feed daily with Salkavite.

When travelling in endurance events, or in hot, humid weather, use Ranvet Electropaste to rapidly replenish electrolytes and restore fluid balance after hard work or travelling

Muscle Problems?

If horses tend to develop muscle fatigue, cramping and poor performance, supplement with Ranvet Neutrolene Plus after any hard exercise, to reduce acidosis.

Potassium Plus supplements the often deficient mineral potassium, vital to normal muscle contraction. Potassium is lost in large amounts during hard exercise, particularly in heavy sweating horses.

See Also:

Timed administration of BCAA's

Timed administration of BCAA's for tying-up

Directions for use:

To Assist in Recovery half or full 80g syringe, depending on severity, within 30 minutes after strenuous work.

Training: 80g syringe, depending on intensity, 30-60 minutes pre-exertion and the same again within 30 minutes, post-exertion.

After layoffs, when increasing intensity of training, endurance and fitness: half or full 80g syringe depending on intensity of work, 30-60 minutes pre-exertion and repeat within 30 minutes, after strenuous work.

Pre-exertion - half or full 80g syringe, depending on intensity, as close as possible to the event, but ideally 30-60minutes before strenuous exertion.

References
(Lininger et al. 1998).(NRC, 1989).(Ensminger, 1990) .(Howell, 1983).(NRC 1988).