EFFECT OF L-CARNITINE IN RACING SLEDGE DOGS

The influence of L-carnitine on lactate content and other blood variab les (red blood cell count, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematoc rit, creatinine, urea, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinekinase, lac tate dehydrogenase, gamma-glutamyl transferase) was examined. 14 Siber ian Huskies (10 female, 4 male) were allocated into 2 teams 7 dogs eac h. Three of the dogs in team 1 and four of the dogs in team 2 were ass igned to the trial group. The remaining animals were placed into the c ontrol group. The dogs belonging to the trial group were given 500 mg L-carnitine daily in their diet. Blood samples were taken before (at r est), immediately after as well as 20 min after the 3 test runs of 8.4 km each. Prior to and at the end of supplementation period resting bl ood samples were taken. The average lactate contents at rest varied be tween 1.04 and 1.85 mmol/l. Immediately after the first test run there was an increase of the lactate content to 4.13, after the second run it was increased to 3.47 and after the third it was increased to 2.18 mmol/l. There were no significant differences between the trial and th e control group, as well as between team 1 and team 2. Training and ex ercise both significantly influenced lactate content and hematocrit, b ut L-carnitine did not.