What if I told you that you could give your horse a supplement to improve their speed, stamina and recovery? Would you want to try it?
I was first introduced to the concept of food as more than nutrition by the late Dr Bruce Ferguson. His teachings opened my eyes to using food to improve the health of our horses.
So, what’s this magic ingredient? Ever heard of L-citrulline? Probably not… (unless you’re in the body building scene), but it is an important building block for the semi-essential amino acid, L-Arginine. Which, in turn, is important for many bodily functions, including metabolism, blood flow, recovery from injury and immune function.
What does the research show?
To test the impact of L citrulline on athletic performance in humans, researchers gave 22 trained, male cyclists either a supplement containing L-citrulline, or a placebo (control) for 7 days in the lead up to a time trial. On the 8th day, they received a final dose of the treatment (L-citrulline or placebo) 1h before the race. So what did the researchers find? Put simply, the athletes that received the L-citrulline supplementation performed better – they completed the time trial on average 1.5% faster than the athletes that received the placebo, and reported less feelings of muscle fatigue and greater mental acuity.
Why might this be the case? Because the athletes that received the L-citrulline supplement had higher circulating concentrations of that key amino-acid we discussed above – L- Arginine – which boosts blood flow, metabolism and the respiration rate of the engine of cells (mitochondria). It is important to note that the researchers specified that these key amino-acids needed to be built up in the system to yield these results, rather than an instant benefit from a single dose.
So what does this mean for our horses?
Well ask yourself… Is my horse an athlete? Does my discipline put pressure on the heart, lungs and muscles? How often do I train? How long do I ride for? Would my horse benefit from increased stamina and performance? If the answer is yes to any or all of these questions, then you may benefit from boosting L-citrulline in your horse’s diet.
How can I boost L-citrulline in my horse’s diet?
Our Equine Met-Aid bars contain a unique combination of natural ingredients that target the production of the amino acid L-Arginine and ultimately Nitric oxide. The active ingredients help to boost blood flow, metabolism, and reduce inflammation. Therefore, this unique combination of natural ingredients may help to support performance horses competing at a high level in a number of equine disciplines.
Try our Equine Met-Aid bars today or contact us to discuss if they might be right for your horse.
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