{"id":7175,"date":"2024-05-10T14:18:11","date_gmt":"2024-05-10T14:18:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lifedatalabs.com\/blog\/?p=7175"},"modified":"2024-05-10T14:18:13","modified_gmt":"2024-05-10T14:18:13","slug":"excess-selenium-and-equine-metabolic-conditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifedatalabs.com\/blog\/2024\/05\/10\/excess-selenium-and-equine-metabolic-conditions\/","title":{"rendered":"Excess Selenium and Equine Metabolic Conditions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Excess<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Is There a Correlation Between Excess Selenium and Insulin Resistance, PPID, or Laminitis?<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Life Data\u00ae has performed whole blood testing on horses in our in-house lab utilizing whole blood trace mineral ICP-MS analysis. Our research showed that Insulin Resistant<\/a>, PPID (Cushing\u2019s Disease)<\/a>, and laminitis-prone horses<\/a> are consistently higher in some nutrients and lower in others compared to the average healthy horse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selenium Excesses in Whole Blood<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Selenium is one of the whole blood minerals that test higher than average in most horses with a metabolic condition such as insulin resistance or PPID.  The research at Life Data\u00ae has not determined the basis or mechanism leading to higher selenium whole blood levels. Higher than average whole blood selenium levels may or may not be related to selenium intake. However, as a precaution, Life Data\u00ae does not recommend giving an Insulin Resistant or PPID horse any feeds, ration balancers, or supplements containing selenium. Almost all fortified feeds and balancers contain selenium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Selenium\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What Does Selenium Do for the Horse?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Selenium is required in the diet for normal metabolic functions and is naturally present in forages. Unless the forage or hay is grown in a selenium-deficient area, the horse will not likely be selenium deficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excess selenium in the diet, usually through fortified feeds or supplements, will substitute for the stronger sulfur bonds in connective tissue, leading to weaker tissue. This excess can negatively impact hooves, skin, hair, and ligaments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Equine<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nutrition for Horses with Metabolic Conditions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Life Data\u00ae has formulated several specialty equine products based on our Whole Blood Research<\/a>. When our research shows that nutrition may benefit horses with a condition, a formulation is produced for field trial testing. Low or high whole blood element levels are often either positively or negatively correlated with other nutrients such as other trace minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. The formulations for these conditions are designed to bring the high levels down and supplement the low nutrients. The formulation is not a treatment for a condition and is not intended to replace veterinary-prescribed therapeutics.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life Data\u00ae Products for Specific Equine Conditions<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Life Data\u00ae has developed three specialty products to help metabolic horses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n