When it comes to muscle health, most horse owners think of protein, electrolytes or amino acids – but one powerful antioxidant is often overlooked: astaxanthin. The compound that causes salmon to be pink is a unique ingredient – and research has found that it can be critical for muscle support.
What is it?
Astaxanthin is a naturally occurring red carotenoid pigment, produced by microalgae and found in pink seafood such as salmon, trout and krill. Widely recognised at a potent antioxidant, it can be highly beneficial in reducing oxidative damage to cells caused by free radicals.
Astaxanthin is unique in that it can span the cell membrane, allowing it to provide antioxidant protection both inside and outside the lipid later - something that other antioxidants, such as vitamin C and E, are unable to do (vitamin C can only act on the outer layer, and vitamin E on the inner) demonstrating a significantly stronger antioxidant capability.
How can it help?
Supplementation with astaxanthin has been extensively researched in several species, including humans, dogs, cats and horses. In humans, it has been studied for a range of potential health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It has even been shown to help with obesity-related inflammatory disorders in dogs and reduce oxidative stress in horses with metabolic syndromes.
Most commonly though, astaxanthin is used for its role in providing muscle support. Although research in horses is still developing, early studies suggest:
Reduced oxidative stress: heavy workloads cause a higher number of free radicals to be produced by the body. Astaxanthin neutralises these free radicals, protecting cellular structures.
Reduced biomarkers: Lower serum levels of primary indicators of muscle tissue damage, such as creatine kinase, have been measured in horses supplemented with astaxanthin.
Reduced risk of tying-up: By reducing muscle pain and damage, tying-up (also known as exertional rhabdomyolysis) can be more easily managed and prevented.
Accelerated recovery: Recovery after exercise and muscle repair can be accelerated in horses supplemented by astaxanthin.
Does my horse need astaxanthin?
If your horse suffers from tight or sore muscles, then a supplement that contains astaxanthin could be beneficial. Other horses it may help are those:
- Prone to tying up
- In heavy work
- Prone to muscle disorders or with chronic oxidative stress
- Who struggle to recover after work
- Suffering from metabolic issues
It is important to remember however, that it is not a substitute for proper nutrition or training, and results can vary between horses. Ensuring that your horse is receiving a balanced diet, and a workload that is appropriate for their level of fitness can help to minimise risk related to muscle soreness and other related issues.
How should I feed it?
The easiest way to provide astaxanthin is by choosing a supplement that contains it. Research cites that the optimum dose for an average 500kg horse is 37.5mg, in combination with L-carnitine. This combination has been shown to help reduce muscle damage from training and aid the muscle’s response to training. 1.5g daily is cited to be an effective amount of L-carnitine when fed in combination with astaxanthin.
Take Away
Astaxanthin can be a beneficial ingredient for muscle health – providing impressive antioxidant capabilities and helping to reduce muscle soreness, whether caused by exercise or other conditions. Providing an effective dose, in combination with other ingredients such as L-carnitine, can be useful for ongoing support when fed in a correctly formulated supplement.
References
Giercuszkiewicz-Hecold, B., Kulka, M., Michał Czopowicz, Szarska, E., Strzelec, K., Arkadiusz Grzeczka, Graczyk, S., Wiśniewska, M., Jędrzejkowska, Z., Aleksandra Rumińska, Krzysztof Marycz and Cywińska, A. (2024). Astaxanthin Supplementation Does Not Alter Training-Related Changes in Inflammatory Cytokine Profile in Arabian Racing Horses. Antioxidants, 13(8), pp.905–905. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13080905.
Mularczyk, M., Bourebaba, N., Marycz, K. and Bourebaba, L. (2022). Astaxanthin Carotenoid Modulates Oxidative Stress in Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells Isolated from Equine Metabolic Syndrome Affected Horses by Targeting Mitochondrial Biogenesis. Biomolecules, [online] 12(8), p.1039. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12081039.
Sato, F., Omura, T., Ishimaru, M., Endo, Y., Murase, H. and Yamashita, E. (2015). Effects of Daily Astaxanthin and L-Carnitine Supplementation for Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Training Thoroughbred Horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 35(10), pp.836–842. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2015.08.003.
Written by Anna Jones BSc (Hons) Equine Science - Customer Care & Marketing Associate