Metabolic Profile Changes in Mangalarga Marchador Horses Subjected to A Hypercaloric Diet Evaluated by Proton NMR Spectroscopy.
Authors: Duarte Patricia de Castro, Ribeiro Rodrigo Martins, Machado Alan Rodrigues Teixeira, Faleiros Rafael Resende, Pimenta Lúcia Pinheiro Santos, Filho José Dias de Souza
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Metabolic Profile Changes in Mangalarga Marchador Horses on High-Energy Diets Equine metabolic syndrome and its progression to endocrinopathic laminitis represent an increasingly prevalent clinical problem, yet the underlying metabolic mechanisms remain poorly understood beyond general energy imbalance and genetic predisposition. Researchers used proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy to profile blood metabolites in nine Mangalarga Marchador horses fed a hypercaloric, non-structural carbohydrate-rich diet over five months, with serum samples analysed before, during, and after the intervention. Multivariate analysis identified six key metabolic compounds—alanine, threonine, choline, α-glucose, β-glucose, and creatinine—with notably elevated choline levels observed in four animals throughout the study period. Whilst the hypercaloric diet consistently altered metabolic profiles across the cohort, the timing and magnitude of these changes showed considerable individual variation, suggesting that susceptibility to metabolic dysfunction operates on a spectrum rather than a binary threshold. For equine practitioners managing obesity and metabolic risk, these findings highlight the value of profiling individual metabolic responses rather than applying standardised intervention protocols, and point towards choline metabolism as a potential marker worthy of further investigation in screening for metabolic syndrome development.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Horses respond to overfeeding with measurable metabolic changes, but timing and magnitude vary individually—monitor each horse's response rather than assuming uniform effects
- •Elevated choline in serum may be an early biomarker for metabolic dysfunction in horses receiving high-carbohydrate diets
- •This metabolomic approach could eventually support early detection of metabolic syndrome risk before clinical signs like laminitis develop
Key Findings
- •1H NMR spectroscopy identified six metabolic compounds (alanine, threonine, choline, α-glucose, β-glucose, creatinine) that changed in response to hypercaloric diet in Mangalarga Marchador horses
- •Choline levels increased progressively over the 5-month assessment period in four of nine horses
- •Individual horses showed variable timing of metabolic changes despite receiving identical hypercaloric diet, suggesting genetic or individual bias in metabolic response
- •Hypercaloric diet rich in non-structural carbohydrates altered serum metabolic profiles detectable by NMR analysis