Vitamin E and Selenium Are Powerful Protectors

Vitamin E and selenium are nutrients familiar to most horsepeople.  They are among the most common deficiencies in unsupplemented animals – and also the only two where deficiency diseases are still routinely seen.  Suboptimal levels also impact health and performance at levels below those that will trigger full blown deficiency syndromes.

Vitamin E and selenium are powerful protectors of muscle as well as immune function.

E and Se are often supplemented together but contrary to popular belief they do not actually work together, nor is their absorption from the intestinal tract interrelated in any way. However, they complement each other to provide broad spectrum protection to the body’s cells.

E and Se are both important antioxidants. E works to prevent fats within membranes from oxidative damage.  Se, as part of the glutathione peroxidase enzymes, works to protect the internal watery portions of cells from free radical injury. Free radicals are a by-product of cells generating energy for work or cell division and of immune system activity.

Vitamin E and selenium status is documented to significantly impact:

•  The nervous system
• Muscular function
• Fertility/sperm quality
• Antibody levels in colostrum
• Immune function
• Red blood cell integrity in exercising horses
• Heart health

Selenium is also integral to the enzyme which converts the inactive form of thyroid hormone (T4) to the active T3.

In most areas of the US and Canada, selenium is barely adequate to frankly deficient.  https://wp.me/p2WBdh-ha.  Horses not being maintained on pasture have extremely low levels of vitamin E in unsupplemented diets. E added to feeds or multi-ingredient supplements often acts more like a natural preservative than a supplement because even stabilized forms of the vitamin can breakdown easily.

Horses absorb inorganic selenium (e.g. sodium selenate) well but absorption of this form may be reduced by high levels of competing minerals in the diet. For this reason, some or all of the selenium supplement should be in the form of high selenium yeast.

Because E is a fat soluble vitamin it is best given dissolved in fat.  If your supplement is dry,  mix it into some oil or sprinkle it on top of oil top dressed on the feed.

E and  selenium are two of the most important and the most often deficient nutrients in the horse’s diet.  Make sure your horse’s intake is adequate.

Eleanor Kellon, VMD