Vitamin E And The Performance Horse
Huntington, P, K Crandell, E. Owens. 1999. Vitamin E and the performance horse. Equinews Vol. 2/4:7-8.
Vitamin E is a non-toxic, fat soluble vitamin which has an important role in many physiological functions such as reproduction, immune response and nerve and muscle function. It also has overlapping yet independent roles with selenium, an essential trace mineral. Together they act to maintain normal muscle function, aid in the prevention of muscular disease and perform as antioxidants to protect body tissues, particularly cell membranes, enzymes and other intracellular substances, from oxidation-induced damage. If vitamin E levels in muscle tissue are inadequate, the risk of exercise induced muscle damage is increased. One important function of vitamin E is to interrupt the production of free radicals at the initial stage of peroxidative damage. Free radicals attack membranes and cells causing tissue damage. The more active the cell (cells of skeletal and involuntary muscles) the greater the use of fats for energy supply and the greater the risk of tissue damage if vitamin E is limiting.