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Equine veterinary journal2017; 49(6); 753-758; doi: 10.1111/evj.12692

Effects of feeding two RRR-α-tocopherol formulations on serum, cerebrospinal fluid and muscle α-tocopherol concentrations in horses with subclinical vitamin E deficiency.

Abstract: Alpha-tocopherol (α-TP) supplementation is recommended for the prevention of various equine neuromuscular disorders. Formulations available include RRR-α-TP acetate powder and a more expensive but rapidly water-dispersible liquid RRR-α-TP (WD RRR-α-TP). No cost-effective means of rapidly increasing serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) α-TP with WD RRR-α-TP and then sustaining concentrations with RRR-α-TP acetate has yet been reported. Objective: To evaluate serum, CSF and muscle α-TP concentrations in an 8-week dosing regimen in which horses were transitioned from WD RRR-α-TP to RRR-α-TP acetate. Methods: Non-randomised controlled trial. Methods: Healthy horses with serum α-TP of <2 μg/mL were divided into three groups and followed for 8 weeks. In the control group (n = 5), no α-TP was administered. In the second group (Group A; n = 7), 5000 IU/day RRR-α-TP acetate was administered. In the third group (Group WD-A; n = 7), doses of 5000 IU/day of WD RRR-α-TP were administered over 3 weeks, followed by a 4-week transition from WD RRR-α-TP to RRR-α-TP acetate, and a final 1 week of treatment with RRR-α-TP acetate. Serum samples were obtained weekly; muscle biopsies were obtained before, at 2.5 weeks and after supplementation. CSF samples were obtained before and after the 8-week period of supplementation. Results: Serum α-TP increased significantly in Group WD-A at week 1 and remained significantly higher than in Group A and the control group throughout the transition, with inter-individual variation in response. Serum α-TP increased significantly by week 7 in Group A. CSF α-TP increased significantly in Group WD-A only. Muscle α-TP concentrations did not differ significantly across groups. Serum and CSF α-TP were closely correlated (r = 0.675), whereas serum and muscle-α-TP concentrations were not correlated. Conclusions: The study duration was short and data on pre-transition CSF was lacking. Conclusions: The administration of 5000 IU/day of water-dispersible RRR-α-TP rapidly increases serum α-TP. Serum and CSF α-TP concentrations are sustained with a gradual transition to 5000 IU/day of RRR-α-TP acetate. Periodic evaluation of serum α-TP concentrations is recommended because responses vary among individuals.
© 2017 EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2017-05-25 PubMed ID: 28432750PubMed Central: PMC5640495DOI: 10.1111/evj.12692Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • 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.

The research examines the effect of two forms of alpha-tocopherol supplementations in horses diagnosed with a subclinical Vitamin E deficiency. It establishes that a switch from water-dispersible alpha-tocopherol to the acetate form can maintain adequate serum and cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of alpha-tocopherol.

Research Design and Methodology

  • The report details a non-randomised controlled trial.
  • The subjects of this study were healthy horses with serum alpha-tocopherol levels less than 2 μg/mL.
  • The horses were divided into three groups (Control, Group A, and Group WD-A).
  • In the control group (5 horses), no supplementation was given.
  • In Group A (7 horses), they were treated with 5000 IU/day RRR-alpha-tocopherol acetate.
  • In Group WD-A (7 horses), the horses initially received 5000 IU/day of water-dispersible RRR-alpha-tocopherol for three weeks. This was followed by a four-week transition to RRR-alpha-tocopherol acetate, and finally, one week of RRR-alpha-tocopherol acetate treatment.
  • Serum samples were collected weekly whilst muscle biopsies were performed before, during (at 2.5 weeks), and after the supplementation period.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected before and after the eight-week supplementation period.

Results and Findings

  • In the first week, Serum alpha-tocopherol significantly increased in Group WD-A and remained higher throughout the transition than in Group A or the control group.
  • Interestingly, continuous variation of response was observed among individual horses in the same group.
  • In Group A, significant increment in the level of Serum alpha-tocopherol was observed only by the 7th week.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid alpha-tocopherol significantly increased only in Group WD-A, while muscle alpha-tocopheral levels did not show significant change across groups.
  • A strong correlation was found between serum and CSF alpha-tocopherol concentrations (r = 0.675), whereas serum and muscle-alpha-tocopherol concentrations were not correlated.

Conclusions and Recommendations

  • The study duration was brief and lacked pre-transition cerebrospinal fluid data.
  • Administering 5000 IU/day of water-dispersible RRR-alpha-tocopherol was found to rapidly increase serum alpha-tocopherol levels.
  • Serum and CSF alpha-tocopherol concentrations can be maintained by gradually transitioning to a 5000 IU/day treatment of RRR-alpha-tocopherol acetate.
  • Periodic monitoring of serum alpha-tocopherol concentrations is recommended due to variation in individual responses.

Cite This Article

APA
Brown JC, Valberg SJ, Hogg M, Finno CJ. (2017). Effects of feeding two RRR-α-tocopherol formulations on serum, cerebrospinal fluid and muscle α-tocopherol concentrations in horses with subclinical vitamin E deficiency. Equine Vet J, 49(6), 753-758. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12692

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 49
Issue: 6
Pages: 753-758

Researcher Affiliations

Brown, J C
  • University of Minnesota Equine Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota, USA.
Valberg, S J
  • Mary Anne McPhail Equine Performance Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
Hogg, M
  • University of Minnesota Equine Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota, USA.
Finno, C J
  • Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid / chemistry
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Drug Compounding
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
  • Pilot Projects
  • Vitamin E Deficiency / drug therapy
  • Vitamin E Deficiency / veterinary
  • alpha-Tocopherol / administration & dosage
  • alpha-Tocopherol / blood
  • alpha-Tocopherol / cerebrospinal fluid
  • alpha-Tocopherol / therapeutic use

Grant Funding

  • K01 OD015134 / NIH HHS
  • L40 TR001136 / NCATS NIH HHS

Conflict of Interest Statement

. None declared.

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Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
  1. Henry ML, Velez-Irizarry D, Pagan JD, Sordillo L, Gandy J, Valberg SJ. The Impact of N-Acetyl Cysteine and Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation on Skeletal Muscle Antioxidants and Proteome in Fit Thoroughbred Horses. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021 Oct 30;10(11).
    doi: 10.3390/antiox10111739pubmed: 34829610google scholar: lookup
  2. Hales EN, Habib H, Favro G, Katzman S, Sakai RR, Marquardt S, Bordbari MH, Ming-Whitfield B, Peterson J, Dahlgren AR, Rivas V, Ramirez CA, Peng S, Donnelly CG, Dizmang BS, Kallenberg A, Grahn R, Miller AD, Woolard K, Moeller B, Puschner B, Finno CJ. Increased α-tocopherol metabolism in horses with equine neuroaxonal dystrophy. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Sep;35(5):2473-2485.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.16233pubmed: 34331715google scholar: lookup
  3. Donnelly CG, Burns E, Easton-Jones CA, Katzman S, Stuart R, Cook SE, Finno CJ. Safety and efficacy of subcutaneous alpha-tocopherol in healthy adult horses. Equine Vet Educ 2021 Apr;33(4):215-219.
    doi: 10.1111/eve.13308pubmed: 34326575google scholar: lookup
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  5. Powers A, Peek SF, Reed S, Donnelly CG, Tinkler S, Gasper D, Woolard KD, Finno CJ. Equine neuroaxonal dystrophy/degenerative myeloencephalopathy in Gypsy Vanner horses. J Vet Intern Med 2024 May-Jun;38(3):1792-1798.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.17062pubmed: 38613444google scholar: lookup
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