The Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of Probiotic Bacteria for Equine Use.

The research article is a review of multiple studies that investigate the impact of probiotic bacteria on horse health and disease treatment, with the overall finding that evidence for their effectiveness is limited and inconsistent.

Objective and Methodology

• This article aims to bring together current evidence to assess the safety, tolerability, and beneficial effects of using probiotic bacteria in horses. These probiotics are frequently used as supplements in the diet and care of livestock and pets.
• The researchers conducted an online search of five databases to identify relevant studies focused on probiotic use in horses, whether healthy or suffering from a gastrointestinal or extraintestinal disease. A total of 18 articles passed the criteria for full review.

Findings on digestion and disease treatment

• The researchers found no substantial evidence suggesting probiotic bacteria supplements improve the digestion of starch and fiber in horses.
• Also, the research found no clear benefits for treating colic (abdominal pain in horses) or preventing salmonellosis (an infection caused by Salmonella bacteria).
• Conflicting results were found when using probiotics to manage diarrhea (scouring) in young horses (foals). Some reports even suggested that the administration of high doses of new probiotic bacterial species could potentially worsen diarrhea and caused additional adverse events.

Findings on physical fitness

• The study found that probiotic bacteria given to exercising horses seem to have a positive effect on aerobic fitness and stamina. However, this was specific to multi-strain bacterial formulations rather than singular strains.

Probiotic Bacterial Species and Potential Risks

• The majority of the probiotic bacterial species used in the reviewed studies commonly are used for human consumption and originate from the human gastrointestinal microbiota.
• There seemed to be more risks than potential benefits associated with probiotics use in horses based on the existing studies.

Conclusion and Recommendations

• Overall, there is a significant lack of evidence supporting the use of probiotic bacteria for maintaining horse health and managing diseases.
• Despite unclear and conflicting results about the use of probiotics for gastrointestinal conditions in both adult horses and foals, the article suggests potential benefits when administering multistrain bacterial formulations to boost stamina in exercising horses. More research is recommended in this area.