title: Effects of exercise and oral antioxidant supplementation enriched in (n-3) fatty acids on blood oxidant markers and erythrocyte membrane fluidity in horses.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate in a placebo-controlled field study the effect of a (n-3)-vitamin supplementation on erythrocyte membrane fluidity (EMF), oxidant/antioxidant markers and plasmatic omega3/omega6 fatty acid ratio (FAR) in 12 eventing horses. Venous blood was sampled at rest before (PRE) and after (POST) a three week treatment period with either the supplement (group S, n=6) or a placebo (group P, n=6) as well as after 15min (POST E15') and 24h (POST E24h) after a standardised exercise test. The following markers were analysed: EMF, plasma antioxidant capacity of water and lipid soluble components, ascorbic acid, uric acid (UA), glutathione (reduced: GSH, oxidised: GSSG), vitamin E (Vit E), beta-carotene, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, selenium, copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), oxidised proteins (Protox), lipid peroxides (Pool) and FAR. EMF did not differ between group S and P after treatment, but GPx remained unchanged in group S whereas it decreased in group P and plasma Cu/Zn ratio remained unchanged whereas it increased in group P. FAR were significantly increased in group S. Exercise induced a significant decrease of EMF (POST vs. E24h) in both groups, but which was significantly lower at E15' in group S than in group P. Exercise induced a significant increase of UA and ACW (POST vs. E15') and Protox (POST vs. E24h) in both groups. An exercise-related decrease in GSH and Pool (POST vs. E15') was found in group P, whereas Vit E and FAR (POST vs. E24h) significantly decreased in both groups. The study showed that exercise induced a decrease in EMF in horses associated with changes of blood oxidative balance. The (omega-3)-vitamin supplementation tested improved the oxidative balance poorly but delayed the exercise-induced decrease of EMF and increased the FAR.
authors.affiliation: Department for Functional Sciences B41, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Moffarts
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Portier
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kirschvink
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coudert
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fellmann
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Erck
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Letellier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pincemail
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Art
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lekeux
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6