By now, most horse owners living in California know they live in an area that is naturally deficient in selenium and that supplementing selenium is very important. What they may not know is that there are essentially two forms of selenium – organic and inorganic – which are radically different from each other. However, both of these forms may show up simply as selenium in a guaranteed analysis.
Organic selenium is the form of selenium found in plants. It is the only form animals naturally encounter, which has been absorbed from the soil and incorporated into an amino acid. This is the form of selenium which is digestible and can be used efficiently by the body.
Inorganic selenium, which can be seen on ingredient lists as both Sodium Selenite and Selenate, is actually a bi-product of copper mining and is highly toxic in large amounts. For years, this was the only type of selenium available.
In the past five years nutritionists have found that organic selenium is not only the natural form, but a much healthier alternative to selenite. In 2004 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved organic selenium for use in equine rations.
To make organic selenium, yeast plants are fertilized with inorganic selenium. The yeast then integrates inorganic selenium into amino acids which form organic selenium. Even though this is a costly process, the resulting selenium has been proven to be more easily digested, metabolized and retained, and is significantly more effective than sodium selenite or selenate.
The molecular structures of organic selenium and inorganic are also radically different from each other, and the makeup of inorganic selenium makes it more difficult for the body to digest; simply put, the inorganic molecule doesn’t fit exactly into the body’s storage mechanisms, so it is harder for the horse’s body to retain it. This means inorganic selenium is also harder for the body to utilize, especially in times of stress – exercise or performance, disease, injury, pregnancy, delivery and birth – when selenium is most needed.
Inorganic selenium is also much less stable in the blood system than its organic counter-part. In a study involving Thoroughbreds, it was shown that horses given selenite lost a greater amount of selenium in their urine during times of stress than horses given organic selenium. This means the horses with high amounts of selenite in their excretions had less selenium in the blood stream to be used for rebuilding and regeneration of their cells.
Organic selenium is absorbed from the gut via amino acid pathways which limits excessive uptake, making it far less toxic than inorganic selenium. Selenite, and other inorganic forms of selenium, are passively absorbed, which allows rapid and unregulated uptake of potentially toxic levels.
The Benefits of Supplementing Pregnant Mares and Performance Horses
The affects of supplementing organic selenium to pregnant mares is tremendous. The mare is better able to handle the stress of birthing, has less damage from the muscular stresses and expels the placenta more quickly. This means a stronger mare, with less chance of infection. The mare also provides colostrums with higher antibody and selenium levels. This allows the foal to build immunity quicker and experience less damage from the stress of birth, creating a strong foundation for the rest of his/her life.
Organic selenium also benefits both the pleasure and performance horse, as it aids their recovery from stressful events and helps decrease damage to the body during performances. It also adds a boast to their immunity and support aids quicker recovery from disease.
Certainly, in areas of extreme selenium deficiency, supplementing with any selenium is better than no selenium. However, unless organic selenium is given, the animal won’t be receiving maximum benefit.
Organic selenium is included in all of Equine Nutrition’s vitamin mineral supplements including Horse Guard, Mega Dose, Trifecta and Super Gain.
This article was provided by R. Del Johnson and Equine Nutrition.
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