Lactic-Acid Metabolism in Horses

Horse owners frequently report reduced tying-up or muscle stiffness with Fastrack supplemented horses after strenuous exercise. Several scientific reasons and research
studies support these observations.
First, a review of lactic acid metabolism in the digestive tract is in order, and then a discussion of lactic acid production in the body itself.

Microorganisms produce two forms of lactic acid, depending upon how the lactic acid
molecule is arranged. A horse can metabolize L-lactate and to a lesser degree the Dform.
Fortunately, the beneficial bacteria in the Fastrack products, Enterococcus
faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus and lactis produce L-lactate, which the horse can
easily metabolize. Harmful bacteria, such as Streptococcus bovis, secrete D-lactate.
High levels of D-lactate often follow excessive grain consumption with the consequential
population explosion of the undesirable bacteria.

Continuous production of low levels of L-lactate in the digestive tract should encourage
the growth of lactate-utilizing bacteria. Supplementing a horse with Fastrack would
provide the beneficial bacteria to supply low amounts of L-lactate to maintain a base
population of lactate utilizers. The lactate-utilizing population would then be ready to
expand when lactate levels elevate, such as excessive grain consumption. In addition,
the Fastrack products seem to enhance the proper numbers of starch-digesting bacteria
for controlled lactate production. Briefly, the Fastrack cultures produce a "safer" form of
lactate and seem to encourage lactate- utilizing bacteria that increase in number during
lactate challenges.

Let's move on to lactate production in the horse's body. Muscles secrete D-lactate as a
by- product of energy production during anaerobic exercise or times of nutrient
depletion. Supplying proper levels of nutrients in the blood system will reduce intramuscular
lactate production during exercise. The microbial cultures in the Fastrack
products enhance nutrient absorption in the small intestine and improve large intestine
fermentation to extract energy from the diet. Consequently, blood nutrient levels are
higher in animals fed probiotic cultures.