A randomized, controlled trial of the effects of resveratrol administration in performance horses with lameness localized to the distal tarsal joints.

The research conducts a rigorous trial on the effect of a supplement, resveratrol, on performance horses suffering from lameness specifically in the distal tarsal joints. The conclusion suggests that introducing resveratrol as a supplement significantly reduced the lameness, thus enhancing the horses’ performance.

Objective and Design

• The primary aim of the study was to explore the impact of resveratrol, a naturally occurring compound found in grapes and berries, on performance horses experiencing lameness in the distal tarsal joints.
• This study employed a randomized, blinded‚ placebo-controlled clinical trial. Blind trials are studies where the participants are not aware whether they are receiving placebo or the drug in question. This approach is taken to alleviate bias in the results.

Procedure and Participants

• 45 owner-managed horses, which had signs of lameness localized to the distal tarsal joints, took part in the study.
• As part of the trial, every horse received centrodistal and tarsometatarsal joint injections of a specific drug, triamcinolone acetonide, in both hind limbs.
• The horses were then given a placebo or a supplement containing resveratrol twice a day, as administered by the owners, for four continuous months.
• The primary outcomes recorded were the change in lameness severity and the performance of the horse, as assessed by rider opinion, which could be either worse, better or the same than before.

Results

• Complete data was acquired for 21 horses given resveratrol and 20 that were administered the placebo.
• Notably, the percentage of riders who reported that their horse’s performance was better was significantly higher in the resveratrol group than the placebo group, both after 2 and 4 months.
• Additionally, the change in A1:A2 ratio, a measurement of lameness severity, between the enrollment and 4-month recheck examinations was significantly better for horses supplemented with resveratrol, in contrast to the placebo group.
• Interestingly, there was no noticeable difference in subjective lameness scores and the degree of asymmetry of pelvis movement across both groups.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

• The results suggest that for performance horses with lameness localized to the distal tarsal joints, the combination of an injection of triamcinolone in the hind limbs’ specific joints, followed by an orally administered resveratrol supplement for 4 months, yielded a noticeable reduction in lameness compared to a placebo.
• This implies that resveratrol could potentially play a substantial role in managing lameness in performance horses and may have a positive impact on the overall performance and health of the horses.