Hydrolysed Protein Explained

What Is Hydrolysed Protein?

Hydrolysed protein contains pre-digested proteins, so they’re easier for the horse to absorb and use. Whether the horse is racing, eventing or showjumping, feeding a hydrolysed protein supplement can help to support muscle development and aid recovery after exercise.

Hydrolysis Explained

In simple terms hydrolysed means that the protein has been broken down to some degree. The hydrolysis process uses enzymes to help break long-chain proteins into smaller-chained amino acids, called peptides, or single amino acids.

Let’s go back a step! Protein is made from chains of amino acids and these chains include both essential and non-essential amino acids. The essential amino acids are the critical ones, as they cannot be made in the body and therefore must be provided in the diet. Lack of essential amino acids will result in poor growth, lack of muscle development, delayed recovery after exercise and poor immune function.

In addition, certain essential amino acids (i.e. leucine, valine and isoleucine) are known as branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). These BCAAs are stored in the muscles, making up to 35% of the amino acids found in muscle tissue. They play an important role in providing energy for the muscles to work during exercise and aiding muscle recovery after exercise.

When a horse eats protein, stomach acids and digestive enzymes initially begin to break it down into smaller-chain peptides. Digestion then continues through the small intestine where protease enzymes, secreted by the pancreas, further breakdown the protein into individual amino acids. The horse can then absorb the amino acids into the bloodstream and utilise them.

By hydrolysing protein before feeding it, we are effectively mimicking the natural digestive process. Essentially this pre-digests the protein so that the horse can absorb and utilise it faster and more efficiently. Think of hydrolysed protein as paying with a contactless card versus non-hydrolysed protein as using cash. With the contactless card, one tap and you’re done, but with cash you have to take out your wallet, find the right amount of money and then wait for your change, all of these processes slow down the transaction.

Benefits of Hydrolysed Protein

Without proper intake of protein and uptake of amino acids, muscle development would not be possible. Likewise, inadequate intake of essential amino acids, including BCAAs, will result in prolonged recovery times post-exercise. This delayed recovery is partly due to small tears occurring in the muscles resulting in the breakdown of protein. Amino acids are then needed to help repair the muscle tissues. As hydrolysed protein supplements are more rapidly absorbed in the digestive tract and more readily available for use by the body, they can help to aid muscle development, support the recovery of strained muscles, and reduce the risk of muscle stiffness or soreness.

Foran Equine Supplements

Foran Equine produce two unique, innovative feed supplements containing hydrolysed plant protein.

Muscle Prep – helps to optimise muscle development and topline. Ideal for horses needing to develop muscle tone and topline in a short period of time, including: show horses, those being prepared for sale, weak or backward individuals and those recovering from an illness.

Pre-Fuel Gel – designed to help support maximum athletic effort and aid recovery. It provides all the essential amino acids, including BCAAs. Available as a handy gel syringe for horses needing an instant energy boost, best fed 1-2 hours prior to exercise, or as a liquid for daily feeding during intensive training or competition periods.

Both Muscle Prep and Pre-Fuel Gel contain Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant to support muscle health during exercise and recovery. B-Vitamins are also added for optimum protein and energy utilisation.