Effects of beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation on gluteus medius muscle fiber composition and muscle performance in adult Thoroughbred horses exercising to fatigue on a high-speed treadmill

Consumption of β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate (HBM), a leucine metabolite, alters muscle composition and metabolism leading to strength and agility improvements in human athletes. To determine if HMB affects athletic performance and muscle function in horses, Thoroughbred geldings were fed a control (CON; n=5) or HMB (n=6) supplement (30 mg/kg/day) for 6 weeks prior to completing a standardized exercise test (SET). Gluteus medius (GM) muscle samples were obtained before the SET for fiber-typing and venous blood was collected before and immediately upon completion of the SET for lactate measurements. Heart rate (HR), biceps femoris (BF) and semitendinosus (ST) surface electromyograms, and fore- and hindlimb metacarpophalangeal joint angles were captured for the duration of the SET. Results demonstrate that HMB supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the percentage of type IIA muscle fibers in the GM with a corresponding decrease (P < 0.05) in type IIX fibers. The percentage of type I fibers was unaffected by diet. Supplementation with HMB did not result in any significant effects on performance, muscle function or biomechanical properties by comparison to CON. Increasing treadmill speed resulted in an increase (P < 0.05) in stride length and maximal extension angle of the fore fetlock, and a shortening (P < 0.05) of the stance phase of the gait cycle. Integrated EMG (iEMG) increased (P < 0.05) with increasing treadmill speeds for both the BF and ST, with the BF exhibiting greater iEMG values than the ST. In summary, HMB increased the percentage of type IIA fibers which did not translate into immediate, improved athletic performance

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Animal and Poultry Sciences

Department dc:contributor.department

Animal and Poultry Sciences

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Busse Esser, Nicolas Ignacio

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Johnson, Sally E.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Jiang, Honglin
• Rhoads, Robert P.

• beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate
• equine
• exercise physiology
• muscle

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:32199

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/114087