A group of researchers from Harvard and the University of Berne,
Switzerland, working with dogs, have shown an increase
in aerobic capacity, an increase in fat oxidation,
and an actual increase in the volume density of
mitochondria, which are the units in skeletal muscle that oxidize
the fatty acids. The diet was 65% of the calories from fat.
Because of the similarity between greyhounds and horses, this may
be valuable in determining muscular changes in horses, and explain
reports of increased performance. Of course the fat% would need to be lower
(not 65%), and hopefully acceptable and practical for equines!!!.
Lynn Taylor, MS, PhD
Otterbein College
Westerville, OH