Hyaluronic acid as a feed supplement
Can you really give hyaluronic acid in the feed and be sure that it reaches the horse's joints? This is a question we often get from our customers.
Veterinarian and researcher Eva Skiöldebrand has worked with the horse's joints and joint diseases throughout her working life. She has worked as a veterinarian and was a researcher at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. Today, Eva is a professor at SLU and runs her own platform for research into joint diseases in horses. During a research trip to the USA in the 1990s, she heard that two veterinarians, at one of the world's largest horse hospitals, had arrived at unique research results. The research showed that hyaluronic acid with the right molecular weight can be given orally and transported via the blood to the joint, via a specific receptor in the intestine. Previously, hyaluronic acid (cock's comb) had only been injected directly into the joint. This is something that is only done in case of already proven inflammation and with a certain risk of infection. The results opened up the possibility of preventing joint inflammation by daily feeding.
Eva began a collaboration with the two veterinarians Scott and Pierce at the Rood & Riddle Horse Hospital in Kentucky, USA. Their work resulted in the product Conquer 200PRO, which contains pure high-molecular hyaluronic acid. The first product with hyaluronic acid for oral administration was born.
How can Conquer 200PRO prevent arthritis?
Hyaluronic acid is an important component of the joint in both humans and animals. It gives the synovial fluid its viscous and oily consistency so that it becomes lubricating and shock-absorbing instead of watery and thin. When the horse works and exerts himself, the bone parts in the joint are pressed against each other. In order for the sensitive bridge surfaces not to hit each other and be damaged, the synovial fluid must be thick enough to keep them apart.
The horse is fundamentally created to roam freely, and the natural turnover of hyaluronic acid in the joint is then quite sufficient. Today we have made them athletes. The increased effort and overload causes the hyaluronic acid in the joint to break down faster than it can be regenerated. This is when the synovial fluid loses its viscous character and becomes more watery. When exerting yourself at this stage, the risk of the bridge surfaces hitting each other and being damaged increases.
Daily supplementation of Conquer 200PRO replenishes the levels of viscous hyaluronic acid. The joint surfaces can then move friction-free in the joint without damaging the cartilage. This in turn reduces the risk of joint inflammation and, over time, dangerous osteoarthritis. With a higher level of healthy synovial fluid, the joint can withstand greater effort without the joint surfaces hitting each other and being damaged.
In addition to acting as a shock absorber, hyaluronic acid has another important task in the joint. It also contributes to the transport of important nutrients to the articular cartilage and to the removal of harmful waste products from there. This is a vital process for the cartilage's nutrient turnover.
Recommended intake of Conquer 200PRO
For optimal long-term joint health, we recommend daily administration of Conquer 200PRO from the time the horse starts working. This usually happens between 3-5 years of age. Recommended dosage per 500 kg is 10 ml per day. Read more about the Conquer 200PRO here.