Equine Ester 100™

Vitamin E is a powerful biological antioxidant. It protects cells from the destructive effects of free radicals, which cause cellular damage due to ageing, muscular exertion, and other metabolic processes. Good-quality pasture provides horses with sufficient vitamin E; however, this vital nutrient is quickly depleted in stalled horses or those fed stored forages such as hay.

As is the case with other synthetic vitamins, synthetic vitamin E does not have the same chemical structure as the natural-source vitamin E found in Equine Ester 100. The primary difference between synthetic vitamin E and the natural-source included in Equine Ester 100 is the number of isomers. The synthetic product is a mixture of eight molecular configurations of dl-alpha-tocopherol, whereas Equine Ester 100 contains only one form of vitamin E, d-alpha-tocopherol, the only molecular configuration that can be used by the horse. Equine Ester 100 is up to five times more potent than an equal amount of synthetic vitamin E.

Figure 1. Comparison of synthetic vitamin E versus the natural-source vitamin E in Equine Ester 100 as measured in the plasma of eight Thoroughbred horses.

Figure 1. Comparison of synthetic vitamin E versus the natural-source vitamin E in Equine Ester 100 as measured in the plasma of eight Thoroughbred horses.

In a recent study conducted at KER, vitamin E plasma levels were measured in eight Thoroughbreds. All horses received the same diet and either 1,000 mg/day of synthetic vitamin E (four horses) or 1,000 mg/day of the natural-source vitamin E found in Equine Ester 100. The results revealed that an equivalent amount of the natural-source vitamin E increased plasma vitamin E levels 56% above baseline compared to the synthetic product (Figure 1).

Equine Ester 100 provides superior antioxidant support to horses that require vitamin E supplementation. Horses that might benefit from supplementation with Equine Ester 100 include those without access to fresh forages such as pasture, performance horses in strenuous work, breeding horses, and those diagnosed with neurological problems such as equine motor neuron disease (EMND) and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM).