Vitamin E - natural vs. synthetic?
JJ
Just curious here...for those of you that supplement with Vitamin
E...any difference between natural vs. synthetic?
I had Comet on Vita Flex E-5000 (synthetic) for a while...it was doing
OK...but is a constant challenge to keep her levels where they need to
be. She's in the "range" now, but still too low per my vet. In the
spring, she was too low in Vit E and at the top end for Selenium.
It's a balancing act for sure!
She was getting *two* scoops of that a day (i.e. 10,000 IU vit E per
day) plus a little bit of Vita Flex's Vit E/Selenium, which means a
tad bit more than 10,000 IU per day.
Her Selenium levels, now, are right down the middle...right where they
should be, so we are OK there. I have her levels checked twice a year
now (when shots are done) because of that episode a few years ago,
where she choked and had other muscle problems due to being very
deficient (she was supplemented but somehow what had always worked
before wasn't anymore)...
And because, as I said, it's a real challenge to keep both vit E and
Selenium where they need to be with her.
Per the vet, I've switched to a "natural" form of Vitamin E, but my
vet really couldn't suggest a specific brand. A friend, who's younger
gelding had a similar Vit E deficiency, had used SmartPak's natural E
and I've already gone through a tub of that. I need to order
again...but thought I'd check to see if anyone out there has a good
product that worked for their critter?
My friend's gelding was also on the Vita Flex E-5000 but it "stopped
working" and so she switched him to the natural E from SmartPak.
She's since had to go onto something else for him, but suggested I try
that first because it did work for him for a couple of years...
Just "trolling" <grin> for suggestions. Thanks in advance, JJ and
Comet too...
John Hasler
> Just curious here...for those of you that supplement with Vitamin
> E...any difference between natural vs. synthetic?
Sure. Synthetic nutritients are almost always purer and of more
consistent concentration and quality.
--
John Hasler Boarding, Lessons, Training
jo...@dancinghorsehill.com Hay, Jumps, Cavallox
Dancing Horse Hill
Elmwood, WI USA
betsey
> Just "trolling" <grin> for suggestions. Thanks in advance, JJ and
> Comet too...
I'm wondering if natual form is more easily digested and absorbed....
having said that, I'd follow your vet's advice, but knowing me, i'd
ask the question..."how soon should i see results, and at what point
does it make sense to do another blood test to check the levels".
because to me, that's really the only "real proof" out there...what
her blood levels are showing. so anything I gave her, I'd consult with
the vet about when to pull blood again.
Betsey
JJ
> Sure. Synthetic nutritients are almost always purer and of more
> consistent concentration and quality.
> --
Yeah, but that doesn't do the horse any good if, for some reason, they
are unable to fully absorb and use it.
Some thing to consider for sure. Thx, JJ
JJ
> > Just "trolling" <grin> for suggestions. Thanks in advance, JJ and
> > Comet too...
>
> I'm wondering if natual form is more easily digested and absorbed....
I think that was my vet's thinking in Comet's case...it was worth the
try to see if natural works better for her.
> having said that, I'd follow your vet's advice, but knowing me, i'd
> ask the question..."how soon should i see results, and at what point
> does it make sense to do another blood test to check the levels".
> because to me, that's really the only "real proof" out there...what
> her blood levels are showing. so anything I gave her, I'd consult with
> the vet about when to pull blood again.
The plan was to try something "natural" vs. synthetic and have her
blood pulled again in the spring with shots. I'll be watching her
carefully, though, for any signs of problems. But, I doubt I'll see
any. The choke and other issues probably didn't come about until she
had been deficient for quite some time. She had been eating a vit E/
Sel supplement, one she had been on for years...so I wasn't having her
tested. There had never been a need for that type of test with her.
Now, I have her tested twice a year so we'll see. Even my vet is
curious if natural will work better...or maybe just a different
brand...I really don't know. Right now, Comet is on SmartPaks natural
vit E (I forget what they call it) and I'll see how that goes.
Thx! JJ
Jean K.
> Hi all,
>
> Just curious here...for those of you that supplement with Vitamin
> E...any difference between natural vs. synthetic?
>
Many organic compounds are asymetric and can occur in two forms
("right-handed" and "left-handed" ) that are mirror images of each
other. In general, naturally occurring biological systems will
produce one of these forms and not the other, and the naturally
occurring form is more efficiently used.
Vitamin E is a bit more complicated, as it is actually a family of
molecules. The most biologically active one, alpha-tocopherol, has 3
asymetric atoms, each of which can take on right- or left-handed
configuration, for a total of 8 different forms of the molecule. In
naturally occurring alpha-tocopherol, all three atoms are right-
handed. This is the form that is most efficiently used. In
synthetic, you get a mix of all 8 forms.
The upshot of all this is that a synthetic mix will not be as
biologically active as a natural product, and the generally accepted
conversion, according to the USDA, is that natural alpha-tocopherol
has about 1.5 times the activity of the mixture.
Disclaimer -- I don't work for the USDA, and I'm not a vet, and I
would not presume to meddle with Ms. Comet's diet. But all else being
equal*, you can expect that the natural form will have higher
biological activity.
* John - have at it!
-Jean K.
long-time lurker