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Re: carbs and optimal growth



> So for Matthew Mackay-Smith to say "there is no feed more inimical to an
> endurance horse than carbohydrates" is WAY off the mark.  That's like
> saying virtually everything every horse eats is bad for endurance horses.
> I can only assume that Matthew Mackay-Smith didn't really mean that when
> he said that.
> 

I guess I did't have any problems understanding MM-S's comments.  He was
basically addressing the issues raised in discussion with Ivers and Dr.
Smith relating high grain diets.  All foods have to be presented to the
cell in such a way that it can be used for the conversion of chemical
energy to mechanical energy.  The issues is what are the basic raw
products that are best for the endurance horse. 

Organic compounds are grouped into groups based common chemical
composition and bond.  Just because two different componds are in the
same group doesn't mean they will produce the same biochemical reaction
when presented to the body.  For example any of a series of hydroxyl
compounds, the simplest of which are derived from saturated
hydrocarbons, have the general formula CnH2n+1OH, comprise the group in
organic chemistry called alcohols.  

Methyl alcohol (n=1) and ethyl alcohol (n=2) are examples.  They however
have vastly different chemical reaction when injested into the body. 
Ethyl alcohol is basically harmless in small amounts - it may make you
do and say funny things but it is processed by the body with no side
effects.  On the other hand even in small amounts methyl alcohol is very
determinital.

Carbohydrate is another group and it contains a very large number of
different compounds with different biochemical impact in the process by
which they are reduced to the basic compounds to be used for the
conversion of chemical energy to mechanical energy.

This was MM-S's point and I think he make it very well.

Truman



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