My last podcast (#051) was about the infodemic we are experiencing in the horse world. There is so much conflicting information about horse care. In this podcast, I want to look at the infodemic in only one aspect of horses—how we need to feed them.

As with most of my nutritional information for horses, I use the current knowledge of human nutrition. I assume that while the raw materials are different (the foods placed in the mouth), what happens at the cell level is the same. This assumption is made throughout science because the cell process has been studied in many species. For example, rats, mice, and other lab animals are used in human studies. While this is questionable for the absorption of food and medicine, it is accepted that glucose, fat, and proteins are handled pretty much the same in all animals.

However, within just one specific section of cell metabolism, there seem to be various approaches to making needed changes. I identify four different pathways mentioned in human nutrition that all attempt to change the same thing (NAD+ preservation within the electron transport chain). This exemplifies the expression, “All roads lead to Rome.”

I am not trying to make you all cellular physiologists. I am trying to point out that there are many people working on the same problem in human metabolism, and their findings will help us care for our horses. This podcast will help you understand why we are all a bit confused about 1) what to do and 2) why it works in some horses and not others.

Back to top