Effect of Oral Supplementation of Vitamin C and Exercise on Plasma Vitamin C Status in Marwari Horses

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the oral supplementation with ascorbic acid on plasma levels in Marwari horses. The experiment was planned to supplement ascorbic acid @ 5 mg/kg. Body weight orally for 4 days on plasma ascorbic acid levels in horses. There was no significant difference in plasma ascorbic acid levels between day 1st and day 5th in supplemented group and control group. After that, a second trial was undertaken with supplementation of sodium ascorbate @ 20 mg/Kg body weight for 30 days in exercising horses. Exercising horses were under gallop + canter exercise of 5 km per day in sandy track. Blood samples were taken on each 10th day of the study period. There was no significant difference found in plasma ascorbic acid levels between supplemented and non-supplemented group of exercising horses. It was also found that plasma ascorbic acid levels were also significantly low in exercising non-supplemented horses than the horses which were under rest. So it was concluded that continuous 5 km gallop+ canter exercise in sandy track for a month reduces plasma ascorbic acid levels in horses but it cannot be replenished by oral supplementation of ascorbic acid because bioavailability of ascorbic acid on oral supplementation in Marwari horses is very poor.