Do Chelated Minerals Perform Better than Non-chelated Minerals?

Many people ask me do chelated minerals perform better than non-chelated minerals?  This is a very valid question as it impacts the cost of feeds and supplements.

It’s important to be aware that not every mineral benefits from being in a chelate form.  However, research and many validated studies demonstrate that there are certain minerals that are very beneficial in chelate form.  So, here are some common and not so commonly asked questions to clarify what’s behind the hype…

Chelate Minerals – the Facts.  What is a Chelate Mineral?  

A chelate is a chemical compound consisting of a metal molecule (the mineral) combined with an organic molecule (the ligand).(See diagram)

The ligand is the critical component of a chelate.  Primarily because it transforms the previously inorganic molecule (the mineral) into an organic mineral form.  This makes the mineral more biologically effective than its inorganic form, and that in turn makes it more bioavailable.

What’s the benefit?

Chelates prevent trace minerals from interacting with certain feed components and other minerals in the horse’s body.  Because of their enhanced bioavailability, at least a 33% reduction in supplement rates is possible compared with inorganic minerals.  Interestingly,  this reduction rate doesn’t compromise performance.  

However – not all chelates are created equal. Some chelated minerals are more bioavailable than others. Who knew!

How environmentally friendly are my horse’s mineral supplements? Are They Necessary and Do Chelated Minerals Perform Better?

Inorganic trace minerals are poorly absorbed by horses, so traditional practice has involved over-supplementing them in feed formulations. However, horses can only absorb a certain level of specific minerals.  When over-supplemented, they simply pass through the system and are excreted – literally ‘peeing/pooping’ money away.

Minerals that aren’t absorbed are excreted in faeces and urine and find their way into soil and waterways. This contaminates both surface and ground water.  Additionally,  it can have a detrimental effect on soil microorganisms which are essential to maintaining soil structure and quality.

Research has shown organic minerals demonstrate improved absorption with no need to supplement them in excess of recommended daily allowances. This means feeding organic minerals to your horse can help alleviate much of the negative environmental impacts from horse excretions. In today’s environmentally friendly climate, this is a bonus.

What about just adding a larger proportion of a less effective but cheaper mineral?

Minerals within the body interact with each other and there are certain mineral ratios that need to be be taken into account. Be aware that a large intake of one mineral can actually block digestibility/absorption of another mineral.

The Feed Manufacturer’s dilemma.

Most minerals occur in several forms. For example,  feed manufacturers can choose from at least six forms of manganese. So what makes one form more desirable than another?

Feed manufacturers usually take into consideration two factors –  digestibility and cost.  As you’d expect, the most easily digestible mineral forms are also those with the highest cost.

How Readily Absorbed is the Chelate Mineral I’m Feeding my Horse?

It depends. Trace mineral uptake from the digestive tract relies on how soluble it remains until it reaches its site of absorption.  And from then on, how efficiently it’s absorbed into the blood.

Organic mineral forms have become far more commonplace in the market, so it’s important to understand why some chelated mineral forms have advantages over others.

So What Makes One Form Superior to Another? Are Chelates better-absorbed minerals?

IT’S THE FORM THAT DEFINES THE FUNCTION!

3 Common Chelate Forms found in feeds/supplements

1. Proteinates

Many companies describe their chelates as hydrolysed proteins (proteinates).  This means they’re chelated with short-chained peptides and amino acids derived from hydrolysed soy proteins for better stability.  Furthermore, it also means they’re less reactive in the digestive tract. The downside is that the molecular size of metal proteinates is sometimes is higher than the desired size.  This actually decreases their bioavailability.  They’re less expensive compared with single amino acid chelates, and unfortunately not much more beneficial.

2. Polysaccharide complexes

The mineral is coated with polysaccharide molecules. They’re larger molecules based on chains of simple sugars known to be highly soluble in the digestive tract. However, many studies have reported no beneficial effect on animal performance.

3. Amino-acid chelates

The mineral is chelated with a single amino acid. Due to higher bioavailability, amino acid chelates are a better chelate compared to polysaccharide and proteinates forms.

The best example of these also happens to be the most expensive form – glycinates.

Why Glycinates?  Do these chelate minerals perform better than non-chelates?

• Glycinates are derived from glycine and readily absorbed in the gut. Compared to the amino acids Methionine, Cysteine etc  glycinate chelates get transported right into the intestinal cells.
• The low pH of Glycine chelates reduces their sensitivity to the acidic conditions in the digestive tract, so the absorption of the mineral is improved.
• They remain as a chelate until absorbed and they don’t interact with other gut constituents.
• Added bonus – Glycine chelates are non-hazardous AND are environmentally safe.

Chelate Minerals in Fibregenix

All the balancers in the Fibregenix range include specific glycinate minerals as they are better-absorbed minerals.  Why? Because based on the latest research, our ethos is – we’re committed to your horse’s health. We want the very best for him.  That’s why we ensure that every ingredient in our formulations passes the test of absorption.

Now that level of detail is something you don’t find in your average feed balancer….

© Fibregenix, April 2021.  Ref Sources: Chelated Minerals Enhance Nutrient Bioavailability, KER Equinews, Supplementing Trace Minerals Safely and Organically, Steve Elliott  

Caroline Noble & her mare fed on Platinum Pro

Feeding the endurance horse – when nutrition is paramount

In many equine sports, it can be possible to get away without dotting all the I’s and crossing all the t’s in preparing the horse.  But there is nowhere to hide at the top of endurance racing. When exercising at the limit, nutrition is one of the fundamentals of performance. Feeding the endurance horse is highly specific. From the overall forage to concentrate ratio down to the details of electrolyte balance. The speeds at which elite endurance horses travel when racing means their muscles work aerobically most of the time.  It’s only when tackling steep hills or in the sprint to the line that they go anaerobic. Muscles are most efficient when working aerobically, and to do this a horse can “burn” either fat (lipid) or glycogen. The dietary source of the lipids is either volatile fatty acids from the digestion of fibre or the oil supplied in the diet.

The Importance of Fibre when feeding the endurance horse.

Fibre is probably the most important nutrient (after water) for the equine endurance athlete. The digestion of fibre takes place slowly. The energy it releases is produced more evenly and for longer after the end of the meal. This means you get more ‘kilometres per litre’. Additionally, fibre seems to bind water as it passes through the gut, acting as a fluid and electrolyte reservoir.

Fatigue and diet

Notwithstanding poor training, when feeding the endurance horse the onset of fatigue can be affected by nutrition. Fatigue is measured not only by time but at the vet checks during a race. If the horse’s heart rate exceeds 64bpm after 2min you are out. Depletion of muscle glycogen stores, combined with insufficient dietary fibre, is one of the main sources of fatigue. So is dehydration. Fluids and electrolytes are lost in sweat and, if not replenished, affect performance markedly.

Feeding the endurance horse 

Top tips

• The laws of physics dictate that the power to weight ratio (max power/min weight) will mean faster speeds.  However, the reserves an endurance horse calls upon mean that it can’t be unduly thin.
• Energy should come predominately from fibre and oil. Fibre should come not just from forage and some alfalfa. It also can include compounds containing soya hulls and sugar beet pulp. Typically, hard feeds with 6-10% oil are used, but huge amounts will make the horse fat and can affect fibre digestion. It’s not necessary to cut out starch altogether. The horse needs some to maintain muscle glycogen levels, necessary for the “power” work of going up hills or galloping.
• Water and electrolytes are crucial throughout and after a ride.
• If you go slowly on endurance rides, you just need forage and low-energy feed. Horses have evolved to cover long distances like this. It’s only when going at a speed that the extra feed counts.

The role of the Feed Balancer when Feeding the endurance horse

Feed balancers can be a highly useful feedstuff for an endurance horse.  They can partially or fully replace any grain feed being fed. Additionally, they’ll provide the vitamins and minerals required on a daily basis.  Fibregenix also includes quality digestible protein, fibre and essential fatty acids.  So a Fibregenix balancer alleviates the need to feed additional supplements except for electrolytes.

The Fibregenix balancers for feeding the endurance horse

For shorter distances up to 60km, Fibregenix Prime Original is ideal. Fibregenix Platinum Pro suits longer distance racing.  This requires an elevated level of vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients such as the key antioxidants, Vitamin E, Vitamin C and selenium.  Both balancers contain a natural form of Vitamin E.  This powerful antioxidant is essential for the endurance horse that is often under stress. Natural vitamin E has been found to be 5 times more bioavailable than synthetic vitamin E. Platinum Pro also contains a comprehensive blood-building formula which aids oxygen transportation to the working muscles.

Digestive health – a key factor in feeding the endurance horse

Fibregenix Platinum Pro contains 4 key digestive aids to tackle both hindgut and foregut health.  Its foregut gut health pack consists of FOS and MOS prebiotics.

FOS Prebiotic

The unique FOS is a short chain of sugar molecules, providing a feed-source for the beneficial gut micro-organisms. Scientific support has proven that this specific FOS may:

• Positively modify the gut microflora
• Enhance digestive health
• Reduce the risk of digestive upsets
• Reduce putrefactive compound production
• Strengthen the immune system (GALT)
• Improve insulin sensitivity in the obese horse.

MOS (Mannanologosaccharides)

With the digestive system already compromised through the stress of competing and travelling, there could be a large population of ‘bad’ bacteria. The ‘good’ bacteria may thrive, but harmful bacteria will still cause an unhealthy gut, negatively affecting the horse’s general health. Platinum Pro’s MOS mimics the cursor that the harmful bacteria bind to on the gut wall. Once the harmful bacteria have bound to the MOS, they can’t be released. So they’re rendered useless and ‘flushed out’ of the digestive system. This promotes the overall health of the digestive system, so the beneficial bacteria can thrive, which ultimately aids weight gain.

Live Yeast probiotic

The hindgut digestive enhancer gut pack in Platinum Pro contains high levels of an equine approved live probiotic yeast. Studies have proven it can double fibre digestibility. This enables fibre to be utilised more efficiently which is ideal when feeding the elite endurance horse.  Furthermore, it helps to improve and maintain weight and condition.

Nucleotides

The digestive enhancer pack also include Nucleotides. They’re considered essential nutrients as they’re the building blocks of DNA and RNA. Present in the horse’s natural diet but at low levels, they can’t be stored by the horse. Nucleotides often become ‘limited’ during periods of strenuous activity or stress. Therefore there are real benefits to adding purified nucleotides to the diet. The specific blend of purified nucleotides in Fibregenix is designed to balance the lower levels found naturally.

They provide three main advantages:

• Aid cell replication – particularly important for the endurance horse and for recovery after exercise or from an injury.
• Increase the length and surface area of the intestinal villi which aids nutrient absorption.
•  Act as immune facilitators aiding the immune cells’ response when infection or disease is detected. Regular travelling and competing can compromise the endurance horse’s immune system, making them more susceptible to infections.

Reviewed and updated April 2021

Horse Joint Supplements

Modern-day advances in scientific research in the equine sector have proven the need for horse joint supplements. Osteoarthritis and other arthritic changes are responsible for around 60% of lameness in both pleasure and performance horses. Even horses at rest and youngsters can also be affected. The best philosophy to follow is prevention is better than cure, as it’s often more difficult to reverse an existing problem.

During the first two years of a horse’s life, developing a healthy skeletal system is paramount.  Always ensure your young horse has the correct nutrition to facilitate this and long term insurance for joint/bone health. Especially once a horse starts his working career under saddle.

Horse owners more commonly prefer oral horse joint supplements over injectables. Liquid Joint & Bone RLF is a unique nutraceutical product in a palatable, fast-absorbing liquid form. Its active ingredients are well-documented with studies and trials. These actives help in the formation of strong, dense bones. Additionally, they slow down the degenerative process and assist in providing relief from inflammation helping to improve mobility.

Rosehip (rosa canina) in Horse Joint Supplements

Rosehip contains glycosides that are anti-inflammatory to injury.  It may be a degenerative injury eg. arthritis or an acute injury such as a soft tissue tear. Glycosides can limit the number of white blood cells that can enter the site of injury-causing swelling. Therefore rosehip can minimise swelling in and around the joint aiding joint comfort in both the short term and long term.  Rosehip also contains high levels of Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant which neutralises free radicals preventing damage to cells.

Hyaluronic Acid (HLA)

Synovial fluid is the fluid enclosed within a joint capsule and is rich in Hyaluronic Acid. It helps to ensure the joint moves freely. When a horse ages or injury occurs within a joint this fluid can become more viscous, physically preventing free movement. Including Hyaluronic acid in a horse joint supplement may help ensure that synovial fluid remains at the correct viscosity.  This will enable joints to move freely again.

Glucosamine HCL

Cartilage covers the ends of bones ensuring they don’t grind against each other. When arthritic changes or cartilage damage occurs,  cartilage breakdown can cause discomfort. Glucosamine is an amino sugar and a precursor of glucosaminoglycans (GAGS). These GAGS are major components of joint cartilage and essential for cartilage regeneration. Although available in many forms, Glucosamine Hydrochloride is regarded as the most bio-available variety which safeguards maximum absorption. Glucosamine HCL is, therefore, the most effective way to aid in the process of cartilage regeneration.

MSM (Methyl sulphonyl-methane)

Soft tissue tendons and ligaments connect muscle to bone and bone to bone.  For a joint to move these soft tissues need to be healthy and strong.  When an injury occurs to one of these soft tissues, joint movement may be restricted. MSM provides protein building blocks to aid tendon and ligament repair and for general tendon and ligament health.

The Importance of Bone Health in Horse Joint Supplements

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)

Vitamin D3 plays a key role in the regulation of calcium and phosphorus homeostasis, especially in bone. Stimulating the intestinal absorption of calcium, Vitamin D3  builds up the bone matrix promoting the mineralization of osteoblastic bone formation.  In studies, Vitamin D3 has been shown to work synergistically with Calcium, benefiting bone health and remodeling after exercise.

Calcium Chelate

99% of the calcium in the horse’s body is deposited in bone. It’s key in supporting the mechanical property of bone and the remodeling process. Providing calcium in a chelate form ensures it’s an efficiently absorbed nutrient which may help to prevent bone weaknesses. To optimise joint & bone health for your growing youngster or competition horse, our outstanding Liquid Joint & Bone RLF can give you that peace of mind.

Reviewed and updated April 2021