Nutraceutical Supplement Mitigates Insulin Resistance in Horses with a History of Insulin Dysregulation During a Challenge with a High-Starch Diet.
Authors: Loos Caroline, Castelein Annette, Vanzant Eric, Adam Emma, McLeod Kyle R
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
Insulin dysregulation substantially elevates laminitis risk in susceptible horses, yet evidence supporting preventative strategies remains limited. This 2024 study evaluated whether daily nutraceutical supplementation could improve glucose handling in 16 horses with documented ID when challenged with a high-starch diet (0.5 g starch/kg bodyweight per meal), using a combined glucose-insulin tolerance test before and after four weeks of treatment. Horses receiving the nutraceutical demonstrated markedly superior metabolic responses: glucose clearance rates increased by 61% compared to placebo controls, time spent in the active glucose clearance phase shortened significantly, and circulating insulin concentrations at 75 minutes post-challenge were substantially lower alongside earlier (45-minute) improvements in glucose concentrations. These findings suggest that prophylactic nutraceutical supplementation offers a practical intervention for ID-prone horses consuming high non-structural carbohydrate diets, potentially reducing laminitis incidence through improved insulin sensitivity, though practitioners should note the relatively modest sample size and the specific dietary protocol employed. For yards managing metabolically challenging horses, this work supports exploring targeted supplementation as part of a broader management strategy alongside forage-based feeding and appropriate exercise, particularly during periods when dietary composition cannot be fully controlled.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Consider nutraceutical supplementation as a prophylactic intervention for horses with known insulin dysregulation history, particularly those at risk of laminitis
- •Nutraceutical-supplemented horses cleared glucose faster and maintained lower insulin levels during starch challenges, potentially reducing laminitis risk
- •This intervention may allow horses with insulin dysregulation to tolerate higher starch diets more safely, though hay-based diets remain preferable
Key Findings
- •Nutraceutical-supplemented horses demonstrated 61% greater glucose clearance rates compared to placebo (p = 0.05)
- •Nutraceutical group had significantly lower insulin concentrations at 75 minutes post-challenge (p = 0.003)
- •Nutraceutical supplementation shortened the positive phase of glucose clearance compared to placebo (p = 0.03)
- •Prophylactic nutraceutical supplementation mitigated insulin dysregulation responses during high-starch diet challenge in susceptible horses