DHA Level Effect on Inflammation in Exercising Horses

Researchers evaluated how different doses of this omega-3 fatty acid affect exercise-induced inflammation.
Share
Favorite
Close

No account yet? Register

ADVERTISEMENT

DHA Level Effect on Inflammation in Exercising Horses
Supplementing exercising horses’ diets with 20 or 50 grams of DHA does not alter exercise-induced inflammatory markers, Hess’s team concluded. | Photo: iStock

Some degree of exercise-induced inflammation is necessary during training for tissue repair and to help horses adapt to exercise. Too much, however, can cause inflammatory-related muscle damage and hinder performance ability.

Previous study results have shown that dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), might reduce inflammation in conjunction with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA); however, the ideal dose in the diet has yet to be determined. In a recent study, Tanja Hess, DVM, PhD, and colleagues from Colorado State University aimed find out the ideal dose of DHA to reduce inflammation in exercising horses.

Hess and her team tested three doses of a DHA supplement on post-exercise inflammatory responses in 20 trained and conditioned polo ponies. They first assessed

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

Share

Written by:

Kristen M. Janicki, a lifelong horsewoman, was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and later attended graduate school at the University of Kentucky, studying under Dr. Laurie Lawrence in the area of Equine Nutrition. Kristen has been a performance horse nutritionist for an industry feed manufacturer for more than a decade. Her job entails evaluating and improving the performance of the sport horse through proper nutrition.

Related Articles

Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with

FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com

Sponsored Content

Weekly Poll

sponsored by:

Where do you primarily feed your horse?
279 votes · 279 answers

Readers’ Most Popular

Sign In

Don’t have an account? Register for a FREE account here.

Need to update your account?

You need to be logged in to fill out this form

Create a free account with TheHorse.com!