Spotlight on Vitamin E
There are many nutrients that horses need to maintain optimum health. Vitamin E is one of these. It is an important antioxidant that is involved in many physiological functions. It is particularly important for performance horses, where it plays a role in muscle repair and recovery. Let’s take a closer look.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is considered one of the most effective antioxidants. It is involved in physiological processes in reproduction, immune response and muscle/nerve function. Importantly, vitamin E works in conjunction with selenium to maintain normal muscle activity. These two nutrients are potent, paired, antioxidants. In a performance horse, vitamin E helps to protect and repair tissue and cell membranes from oxidative damage. Specifically, vitamin E interrupts the production of free radicals that cause tissue and membrane damage.
A deficiency in vitamin E can manifest in poor immune response, muscle stiffness, muscle soreness and damage – all of which can contribute to poor performance.
Where does vitamin E come from in the diet? Lush green pastures are a good source. However, here in WA, abundant green pasture is often not available, and vitamin E content can be variable. Other roughages, such as lucerne and green hays, also contain vitamin E, although the content declines considerably after cutting and is influenced by stage of plant maturity and time of cutting. Vegetable oils can contain vitamin E, however are not usually fed in quantities that contribute to vitamin E in the overall diet. For exercising or performance horses, supplementation, either in the form of a complete, premixed/pelleted feed, or a standalone vitamin E source is often recommended.
When it comes to bioavailability, the type of vitamin E matters, as there are several forms. Natural vitamin E contains the form d-alpha-tocopherol, which has been shown in research to be far more bioavailable and effective against oxidative cell damage than synthetic forms of E. All Pegasus feeds are formulated to include natural, bioavailable vitamin E at optimum levels.
In equine athletes, particularly those prone to muscle myopathies such as exertional rhabdomyolysis (or tying-up), supplementation with vitamin E and selenium can help to reduce the severity of muscle damage caused by free radicals produced in response to exercise.
In broodmares, vitamin E can support reproductive performance and has been shown to increase passive transfer of antibodies to the foal.
Horses that may particularly benefit from vitamin E supplementation are performance horses in medium-heavy exercise, breeding horses, horses with muscle disorders, such as tying-up, and those diagnosed with neurological disorders such as equine motor-neuron disease. A ration analysis is an effective way to ensure your horse is receiving adequate vitamin E in the diet.
Sources:
https://ker.com/equinews/vitamin-e-performance-horse/?highlight=vitamin%20E
https://ker.com/equinews/choose-natural-vitamin-e-horses/?highlight=vitamin%20E