Vitamin E info material

What is Vitamin E?

It is a non- toxic, fat soluble antioxidant, which has an important role in many physiological functions such as reproduction, immune response and nerve and muscle function. It also has overlapping yet independent roles with selenium, an essential trace mineral.

Why is Vitamin E beneficial?

Together vitamin E and selenium act to maintain normal muscle function ,which aids in the prevention of muscular disease and perform as antioxidants to protect body tissues - particularly cell membranes, enzymes and transports oxygen, and red blood cell stability.

Oxidation prevention. - As a horse exercises, its cell structure is threatened to be broken down because of compounds that contain oxygen. The more strenuous the exercise, the more oxygen containing compounds are present, which results in injuries brought on by cellular damage. To fight oxidation the horse's metabolism needs nutrients such as vitamin E , vitamin C, beta carotene, and minerals such as selenium, copper and zinc. The vitamins and minerals permit the horse's body to metabolise the product of oxidation and changes them into a by-product.

Natural sources of Vitamin E

Green pastures, roughages, such as Lucerne and good quality green hays are excellence sources of vitamin E. Also vegetable oils are relatively high.

The contents of vitamin E is reduced by maturity of grasses, hay harvesting and storage. In the process of hay harvesting , between 30-80% of vitamin E is actively lost and even more is lost during storage.

What are signs of deficiency?

A deficiency of vitamin E may cause a variety of different symptoms and pathological changes, which may include poor immunity to disease (recurrent cold and cough) and muscle stiffness, soreness or damage. The result would be reduced physical performance, especially in endurance as oxidation-induced damage.

Other signs may be visible as swelling of joint and muscle degeneration, weight loss and low energy.

Dosage Recommendations

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