Effects of feeding two RRR-α-tocopherol formulations on serum, cerebrospinal fluid and muscle α-tocopherol concentrations in horses with subclinical vitamin E deficiency.

Authors: Brown J C, Valberg S J, Hogg M, Finno C J

Journal: Equine veterinary journal

DOI: 10.1111/evj.12692 PubMed: 28432750Log in to save

Summary

# Editorial Summary Brown et al. (2017) investigated whether a two-stage supplementation protocol could cost-effectively manage vitamin E deficiency in horses by combining rapid absorption with long-term maintenance. Researchers administered water-dispersible RRR-α-tocopherol (WD RRR-α-TP) to subclinically deficient horses for initial loading, followed by sustained dosing with the more economical RRR-α-TP acetate powder, whilst measuring α-tocopherol concentrations in serum, cerebrospinal fluid and muscle tissue. The findings demonstrated that this sequential approach successfully elevated serum and CSF α-tocopherol to therapeutic levels without the ongoing expense of premium formulations, with muscle concentrations reflecting long-term tissue status. For practitioners managing equine neuromuscular conditions associated with vitamin E deficiency—including equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy, atypical myopathy, and neurological syndromes—this protocol offers a practical, evidence-based strategy to achieve rapid clinical correction whilst reducing supplementation costs through strategic product switching once adequate tissue saturation is established.

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Practical Takeaways

•For horses requiring rapid vitamin E repletion, water-dispersible RRR-α-tocopherol achieves faster increases in serum and CSF concentrations than acetate powder
•A practical protocol combining expensive rapid-acting formulation initially with cheaper acetate powder for maintenance may provide cost-effective management of subclinical vitamin E deficiency
•Serum, CSF, and muscle α-tocopherol concentrations should be monitored when supplementing horses at risk of neuromuscular disorders related to vitamin E deficiency

Key Findings

•Two RRR-α-tocopherol formulations (acetate powder and water-dispersible liquid) were compared for efficacy in raising serum, CSF, and muscle α-tocopherol concentrations
•Water-dispersible RRR-α-tocopherol demonstrated more rapid bioavailability than acetate powder formulation
•A cost-effective sequential supplementation strategy using water-dispersible formulation followed by acetate maintenance was evaluated

Conditions Studied

subclinical vitamin e deficiencyequine neuromuscular disorders

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Effects of feeding two RRR-&#x3b1;-tocopherol formulations on serum, cerebrospinal fluid and muscle &#x3b1;-tocopherol concentrations in horses with subclinical vitamin E deficiency.