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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) / Alterations of serum vitamin E and vitamin A concentrations ...
Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition2020; 104(5); 1501-1508; doi: 10.1111/jpn.13385

Alterations of serum vitamin E and vitamin A concentrations of ponies and horses during experimentally induced obesity.

Abstract: Vitamin A, vitamin E and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) are a focus of current obesity research in humans. The impact of body weight (BW) gain on fat-soluble vitamins and its associated parameters in equines has not been previously reported. Ten Shetland ponies and 9 Warmblood horses, all adult geldings, non-obese and healthy, were fed an excessive energy diet for 20 months to induce BW gain. Serum α-tocopherol (vitamin E), retinol (vitamin A), retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) and retinol/RBP4 ratio were analysed before BW gain induction and at six timepoints during the BW gaining period. The mean (±SD) % BW gain achieved during two years of excess energy intake was 29.9 ± 19.4% for ponies and 17 ± 6.74% for horses. Serum α-tocopherol increased significantly in ponies and horses during excess energy intake and circulating α-tocopherol levels correlated positively with α-tocopherol intake (r = .6; p < .001). Serum retinol concentrations showed variations during the study but without relation to intake. Serum RBP4 decreased at the end of the study. The retinol/RBP4 ratio increased with BW gain without differences between ponies and horses. In comparison with human research, the increase in the retinol/RBP4 ratio was unexpected and needs further elucidation.
© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
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Publication Date: 2020-05-14 PubMed ID: 32406587DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13385Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Clinical Trial
  • Veterinary
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigates the impact of weight gain on the levels of fat-soluble vitamins in horses and ponies. Using an overfeeding approach, they found that significant weight gain resulted in increased levels of Vitamin E, unclear changes in Vitamin A, and decreased levels of retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4).

Study Methodology

  • Ten adult Shetland ponies and nine adult Warmblood horses were identified for the study. All animals were non-obese and healthy prior to the start of the research.
  • The horses and ponies were subjected to an energy-dense diet for a period of 20 months to induce significant weight gain.
  • The researchers took measurements to analyse serum concentrations of Vitamin E (known as α-tocopherol), Vitamin A (retinol), retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), as well as calculating the retinol/RBP4 ratio. This was done before the overfeeding started and at six different intervals during the feeding period.

Key Findings

  • The horses and ponies experienced significant weight gain during the study. Ponies’ body weight increased by around 29.9%, while horses’ body weight increased by around 17%.
  • Levels of Vitamin E in the blood (serum α-tocopherol) significantly increased in both ponies and horses when subjected to the high-energy diet. Furthermore, there was a noticeable positive correlation between increased Vitamin E intake and heightened circulating Vitamin E levels.
  • The researchers noticed changes in serum Vitamin A (retinol) concentrations but these changes did not display any clear relation to the amount of Vitamin A intake.
  • Levels of the protein that binds and transports Vitamin A (RBP4) decreased by the end of the study.
  • There was an observed increase in the ratio of Vitamin A (retinol) to the RBP4 protein, regardless of the substantial weight gain experienced. This observation was consistent for both ponies and horses.

Comparison to Human Studies and Future Research

  • The researchers compared these findings with those from human obesity research, noting that an increase in the ratio of Vitamin A to RBP4 was unexpected based on human studies.
  • The reasoning behind the increased ratio of Vitamin A to RBP4 in overweight horses and ponies is currently uncertain and requires further investigation to fully comprehend.

Cite This Article

APA
Schedlbauer C, Blaue D, Raila J, Vervuert I. (2020). Alterations of serum vitamin E and vitamin A concentrations of ponies and horses during experimentally induced obesity. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl), 104(5), 1501-1508. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.13385

Publication

Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
ISSN: 1439-0396
NlmUniqueID: 101126979
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 104
Issue: 5
Pages: 1501-1508

Researcher Affiliations

Schedlbauer, Carola
  • Institute of Animal Nutrition, Nutrition Diseases and Dietetics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
Blaue, Dominique
  • Institute of Animal Nutrition, Nutrition Diseases and Dietetics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
Raila, Jens
  • Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Nuthetal, Germany.
Vervuert, Ingrid
  • Institute of Animal Nutrition, Nutrition Diseases and Dietetics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.

MeSH Terms

  • Animal Feed / analysis
  • Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
  • Animals
  • Diet / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / blood
  • Horse Diseases / chemically induced
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Obesity / chemically induced
  • Obesity / veterinary
  • Vitamin A / blood
  • Vitamin E / blood

Grant Funding

  • VE 225/9-1 / Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Munteanu C, Mârza SM, Papuc I. The immunomodulatory effects of vitamins in cancer. Front Immunol 2024;15:1464329.
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