α-Lipoic acid supplementation enhances heat shock protein production and decreases post exercise lactic acid concentrations in exercised standardbred trotters

Heat shock protein (HSP) expression is an adaptive mechanism against the disruption of cell homeostasis during exercise. Several antioxidant supplementation strategies have been used to enhance tissue protection. In this study, we examined the effects of a redox modulator, α-lipoic acid (LA) on HSP responses in six standardbred trotters following intense aerobic exercise. DL–LA supplementation (25 mg kg⁻¹ d⁻¹) for five weeks increased the resting levels of HSP90 (1.02 ± 0.155 in control and 1.26 ± 0.090 after supplementation in arbitrary units) and the recovery levels of inducible HSP70 (0.89 ± 0.056 in control and 1.05 ± 0.089 after supplementation in arbitrary units) in skeletal muscle. Furthermore, LA increased skeletal muscle citrate synthase activity at rest and lowered the blood lactate concentration during exercise without any changes in the heart rate. LA had no effect on concentrations of HSP60, HSP25 or GRP75 in skeletal muscle. LA decreased the exercise-induced increases in plasma aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase concentrations during recovery. Our results suggest that LA supplementation may enhance tissue protection and increase oxidative capacity of the muscle in horse.