Acetate for Muscle Glycogen Replacement

During prolonged moderate exercise, horses deplete muscle glycogen which needs to be replaced after the exercise period ends.

Researchers at the University of Guelph in Canada studied the effect on glycogen resynthesis of oral acetate supplementation along with a regular hay and grain ration after exercise simulating the speed and endurance phase of a three-day event. They found that acetate supplementation caused a rapid and sustained increase in plasma acetate.

Analysis of muscle tissue showed extraction of the supplemented acetate and an enhanced rate of muscle glycogen resynthesis during the first four hours after exercise compared with the control treatment. After 24 hours, there was no difference in glycogen replenishment between treatments.