Glycaemic and insulinaemic responses of adult healthy warm-blooded mares following feeding with Jerusalem artichoke meal.

The research investigates if using a pre-biotic supplement, Jerusalem artichoke meal (JAM), affects blood sugar and insulin response in healthy horses. The results showed no significant change in peak levels of glucose and insulin upon JAM supplementation, but a distinguished faster decline in the blood levels of these parameters after meals, which might suggest better metabolic control and warrants further investigation.

Study Design and Methodology

• The study involved six adult mares with an average body weight of 529 ± 38.7 kg and a body condition score of 5.1 ± 0.49/9.
• The horses’ diet included crushed oat grains (1g starch/kg body weight per day), meadow hay (2kg/100kg body weight per day), both expected to meet the energy recommendations for light work.
• Additionally, these horses were assigned to two groups. One received an addition of 0.15g fructo-oligosaccharides and inulin (FOS+INU)/kg body weight per day via commercial JAM (Jerusalem Artichoke Meal), while the control group received maize cob meal without grains.
• This dietary pattern was followed for six weeks, with the JAM and control periods lasting three weeks each, as per a crossover design.
• Blood was drawn at multiple time points before and after feeding (-60, 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, and 300 minutes), with plasma glucose and serum insulin levels determined at each point.

Results and Observations

• Feeding with JAM did not significantly change the peak glucose or insulin seen postprandially (after meals). The peak levels were glucose: 6.3 ± 0.40 vs 7.0 ± 0.87 mmol/l and insulin: 0.508 ± 0.087 vs 0.476 ± 0.082 nmol/l for the JAM and control group respectively.
• The area under the curve (AUC) values, indicating total metabolic response to the meals, also did not differ significantly up to 120 or 300 minutes post-meal for glucose and insulin, respectively.
• However, the study observed a more rapid decline in glucose and insulin levels until 240 minutes postprandially in the JAM-fed group, possibly indicating faster metabolic clearance. This was borderline statistically significant (p = 0.053 and p = 0.056, respectively).

Conclusion and Further Directions

• Though JAM supplementation did not impact peak glucose or insulin levels, the faster decline of these metabolic markers postprandially might suggest improved metabolic control with JAM supplementation, warranting further detailed studies.