Fish Oil Reduces Inflammatory Joint Compounds in Horses

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By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · September 14, 2011

Elevating omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in mammalian diets has been shown to decrease inflammatory processes in the joint. Researchers from Colorado State University investigated the intra-articular production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a potent inflammatory compound, following 90 days of oral supplementation with two different types of omega-3 fatty acids.

Twenty-one mature mares with no history of joint disease or recent lameness were separated into three groups. One group was fed the basal diet and a commercial fish oil rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at a rate of 69 mg/kg body weight, a second group was fed alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) via a flaxseed supplement at a rate of 68.6 mg/kg body weight, and a third group served as the control. Following 90 days of supplementation, synovial fluid was removed from a carpal joint of each horse, and PGE2 levels were measured. There was a trend for fish oil-supplemented horses to have lower PGE2 in their joints compared to control horses...

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