Can Fatty Acid Supplementation Help IR Horses?

Supplementation with a certain type of fatty acid appears to improve insulin sensitivity in IR horses.
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Equine insulin resistance—a condition in which cells fail to respond normally to the hormone insulin—requires careful dietary management to prevent laminitis and other complications from developing. So it’s no surprise that both veterinarians and horse owners are on the lookout for new ways to help manage this disorder.

Case in point: Researchers from Colorado State University (CSU) recently tested the effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, or n-3 PUFAs, on glucose and insulin dynamics in horses. Previous research in other species showed that n-3 PUFAs can improve insulin sensitivity, and n-3 PUFAs from marine sources, such as fish or algae, appeared to improve glucose transport from the blood into the cells.

For the current study the researchers, led by Tanja M. Hess, MV, MSc, PhD, assistant professor of equine sciences at CSU, employed 21 nonpregnant mares of mixed stock horse breeding. The mares consumed a diet of free-choice alfalfa/bromegrass hay for one month before the researchers grouped the horses by age, body weight (BW), and body condition score (BCS) and randomly assigned them to one of three treatments:

  • CON—These horses consumed a control diet, consisting of rolled barley and alfalfa/bromegrass hay, containing no supplemental PUFAs.
  • MARINE—These horses consumed a control diet supplemented with a commercial algae/fish oil pellet to provide 38g of n-3 PUFAs.
  • FLAX—These horses consumed a control diet supplemented with ground flaxseed to provide 38g n-3 PUFAs.

The team housed the horses in drylots for the duration of the 90-day treatment period and recorded horses’ BW and BCS on a monthly basis. The team also measured horses’ insulin response using an intravenous glucose tolerance test at Days 0, 30, 60, and 90. Based on baseline insulin sensitivity, the team classified horses as being either insulin resistant (IR, n=11) or normal (n=10)

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Kristen M. Janicki, a lifelong horsewoman, was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and later attended graduate school at the University of Kentucky, studying under Dr. Laurie Lawrence in the area of Equine Nutrition. Kristen has been a performance horse nutritionist for an industry feed manufacturer for more than a decade. Her job entails evaluating and improving the performance of the sport horse through proper nutrition.

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