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Effects of a docosahexaenoic acid‐rich algae supplement on insulin sensitivity in healthy, mature horses (814.5)
Author(s) -
Brennan Kristen,
Graugnard Daniel,
BrewsterBarnes Tammy,
Spry Malinda,
Smith Allison,
Urschel Kristine
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.814.5
Subject(s) - medicine , insulin , endocrinology , docosahexaenoic acid , insulin resistance , crossover study , biology , algae , basal (medicine) , zoology , chemistry , fatty acid , biochemistry , polyunsaturated fatty acid , botany , placebo , alternative medicine , pathology
In healthy horses, long‐term treatment with glucocorticoids such as dexamethasone (DEX) reduces insulin sensitivity (SI). In healthy humans, a daily dose of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has an insulin‐sensitizing effect on insulin resistance induced by DEX treatment. We studied the effect of a DHA‐rich algae supplement on SI markers in 8 healthy, mature horses using a balanced, crossover design of two 56‐d treatment periods with a 60‐d washout. In each period, horses were fed a treatment (basal diet (CON), or diet + DHA‐rich algae (152 g/d, Alltech Algae SP1, Alltech Inc.)) for 28 d, after which blood was sampled (pre‐DEX) and 0.04 mg DEX/kg BW/d administered orally; treatment continued for 21 d, then blood was resampled (post‐DEX). The reciprocal of the square root of insulin (RISQI) and the modified insulin‐to‐glucose ratio for ponies (MIGRP) were calculated. Algae had no effect on pre‐DEX glucose or insulin compared with CON. Regardless of treatment, post‐DEX plasma glucose and insulin ( P <0.0001) and MIRGP (an estimate of pancreatic β‐cell responsiveness and insulin secretory response) ( P <0.001) each increased, whereas RISQI decreased ( P <0.001) compared with pre‐DEX values. Algae decreased post‐DEX plasma glucose and insulin ( P <0.01) and decreased MIGRP ( P =0.02) compared with CON. In summary, in healthy, mature horses, dietary DHA‐rich algae can improve SI during DEX treatment.