Question from the vet: Why does +Fiber Mash work?

We always consult our panel of veterinarians when formulating new products, but we also often get questions from veterinarians about the properties, composition and effectiveness of the products. One of the questions is:

What is in +Fiber Mash that makes it have such a good effect on afterburn, and is there documentation for it?

+Fiber Mash and afterrun in horses

Afterflow from the large intestine when the horse defecates is defined as the release of intestinal fluid either before, during or after the actual defecation. The actual dung blobs are typically normal, but can in some cases be a little wet/heavy. This is not actual diarrhea, where all the dung is thin/unformed/very loose and the horse is usually unaffected in terms of appetite, energy, riding and general health. In English it is called FFW(S) which stands for Free Fecal Water Syndrome.

The horse is not sick, but it is a difficult condition in terms of management, cleaning the horse and surroundings, testing different types of feed, management measures in relation to possible stress in the horse and general concern in trying to get rid of the condition. The problem can vary from a few episodes to persisting for weeks and months, and in some it is chronic.

Common symptoms

• Intestinal contents and manure residues on the hind legs, in the tail and around the rectum, resulting in the need for cleaning.
  
  
• Possible skin irritation due to intestinal fluid and increased cleaning of the hind legs and tail.
  
  
• Dirty box wall and box.
  
  
• Signs of irritation during bowel movements, tail whipping, signs of tenderness, possibly bloating due to increased gas formation and maldigestion in the intestinal system.

The reasons for the lag

Lagging in horses is not the best researched problem, so we don't really know why it happens, and therefore we don't know how to solve the problem permanently.

Some of the areas being investigated are:

• Imbalances in the diet, as the overall composition of the diet determines the nutritional supply to the horse, the nature of the intestinal flora and the interaction between the intestine and the nervous system.
  
  
• Excessive amounts of sugar and starch can create imbalances in the gut, but so can "almost complete exclusion" probably.
  
  
• Some horses with after-runs improve with changes in feeding (less grain/starch, more fiber, more oil), but there is no complete systematic approach that works for everyone.
  
  
• Adequacy of all known nutrients needed for the gut (and the entire horse) should be a given, as should adequate salt, as should zinc.

Dysbiosis/imbalances

The intestinal microflora consists of many types of bacteria, fungi, parasites and single-celled organisms (protozoa). The overall composition is controlled by a combination of the environment the horse lives in, together with the feed it receives.

The composition of the feed multiplies different bacterial groups, so that if a lot of fiber is given, the fiber-degrading bacteria multiply, and if there is a predominance of fermentable fiber, it is this group of bacteria that occupies the largest part of the microflora landscape, and if a little more starch is given than the small intestine can digest, then more starch-degrading bacteria will appear.

The different bacterial groups compete with each other and if some take up too much space and gain the upper hand, it can lead to incorrect fermentation, excessive gas formation (flatulence or bloating) and poor function of the intestinal mucosa's ability to absorb nutrients, salts and fluid. All this without there being any actual disease.

Many horses can maintain equilibrium at this level, i.e. with after-run, without illness. In others, the bacterial imbalance may be more aggressive. There may be ongoing stress, feed change-teeth-worms-and a whole range of contributing causes, so that actual diarrhea, colic, intestinal inflammation (colitis) and possibly stomach ulcers develop (this happens indirectly, as these processes do not take place in the stomach).

Horses can utilize fiber better than humans and thus get about 70% of their energy needs covered from fiber that is fermented in the large intestine. This forms short-chain fatty acids that have a number of biological effects. Sudden changes in feed and especially excessive amounts of starch per meal (more than 0.8 grams/kg body weight) can cause excessive sudden changes in the intestinal flora and possible production of excessive amounts of organic acids that irritate the mucous membrane. There may also be other causes, such as side effects of antibiotics, painkillers, toxins in the feed, viral infections, management stress, hierarchy in flock groups, lack of sleep and rest - in a broad sense: biological stress.

• Acetic acid (acetate)
  constitutes approximately 60-70% of the total amount of short-chain fatty acids, which are formed by microorganisms in the intestine from fibers. Acetic acid passes from the intestine to the liver and is used as an energy source for the formation of other fatty acids, cholesterol and as a building block for the formation of amino acids that the body itself produces. About a third is metabolized by the heart, adipose tissue and muscles. Fiber increases the proportion of acetic acid.
  
  
• Propionic acid (proprionate)
  constitutes 20-30%, is also metabolized in the liver and can be used as a building block to form sugar/glucose, but it is a slow process that cannot be directly read on the blood sugar. Starch increases the proportion of propionic acid.
  
  
• Butyric acid (butyrate)
  typically constitutes 5-10% and is absorbed directly into the cells of the intestine, i.e. mainly used as energy for the intestinal mucosa itself.

There is limited research on gut flora changes during the post-run. Some studies describe changes in the gut flora during the post-run, compared to horses with stable digestion, and some describe good effects of gut flora transplantation, where gut flora bacteria from a horse with stable digestion are given via gavage.

The thoughts behind +Fiber Mash

+Fiber Mash was formulated based on a desire for a low-energy crib feed for frugal horses, and/or horses with imbalances in the function of the intestinal mucosa in relation to absorbing fluid and salts. There is broad agreement today that horses benefit from an anti-inflammatory diet, based on fats/oils and fibers that form short-chain fatty acids and with limited sugar/starch.

"Our approach to feeding horses is to have products where all ingredients - in relevant dosages - make a difference for optimal biological function, without overstimulating, of course."

The fibers in the feed come from several sources and are complex. Many horses improve their after-run from fermentable fibers such as beet pellets, while others get better from grass and a third group gets worse from grass, just as some become nervous and see ghosts when they have after-run.

The idea behind +Fiber Mash is to provide a broadly composed fiber with extra biological effect:

• Fermentable fibers for energy metabolism.
• Coarse fibers to absorb and separate unwanted substances from possible fermentation.
• Herbal composition with a general calming effect on digestion and the mucous membrane (rosemary, fenugreek, anise, nettle, coriander) that inhibits the growth of unwanted bacteria, regulates local mucosal defenses and also contains limonene, which has an effect on the nervous system.
• Citrus pulp has a high content of limonene, which is a monoterpene that can also activate the endo-cannabinoid signaling system, i.e. it can influence the overall pain-inflammation and stress management processes.
• Resistant starch (in small amounts from bran) affects butyric acid production in the microflora towards more butyrate, which is the mucosa's direct energy source.
• Arabinoxylan from bran has been shown in several species to affect butyrate production more effectively than resistant starch, and arabinoxylan is also immunoregulatory. The aleurone layer in bran directly stimulates the butyrate-producing Roseburia bacteria.

Why have we left out yeast and seaweed?

Yeast is a fad in horse feed due to its beta-glucan content and its immunostimulating effect, but we are critical of stimulating the immune system all the time, as it will upregulate inflammation if the horse has a tendency to do so.

Seaweed stimulates the immune system, just like yeast. But the question is, is it beneficial in basic nutrition if it is already sufficient, optimal and balanced? Again, overstimulation of the immune system is the reason we omit it.

Biologically important components that the horse's normal intestinal flora can produce when fed with +Fiber Mash

Butyrate, butyric acid

Butyrate is the least abundant fiber-derived short-chain fatty acid, but that does not make it any less important. Butyrate has a number of effects in the intestinal mucosa itself and as a signaling molecule in many types of tissue (documented in various mammals).

• Inhibits inflammation-producing signaling substances/cytokines: TNFa, IL6, IL8, IL12, IL1β, INF-ϒ.
• Stimulates anti-inflammatory signaling substances/cytokines: IL10, TGFβ.
• Activates PPAR-ϒ which dampens the inflammatory response, especially in the mucous membranes and is important for insulin sensitivity. There is interaction with the endocannabinoid system in the nervous system and immune cells and PPAR-ϒ is thus important for the overall stress regulation.
• Suppresses the NFkВ signaling pathway, which is also important for inflammation.
• Is a histone H3 deacetylate inhibitor, i.e. it is a genetic regulation that keeps cell functions active (transcription of RNS and miRNA).

Arabinoxylan has been shown in several animal models to be able to upregulate butyrate-producing bacteria such as Roseburia species and Bifidobacteria, such that butyrate production itself is 3-4-5 doubled and absorption from the intestine is increased more than 3-fold.

Beta-glucans from yeast reduce butyrate production.

The effect of butyrate in the body as a whole is broad and important, as butyrate can affect receptors (GPR4, GPR43, GPR109a) in many tissues and thereby entire surface cells, including in the intestine, and "talks" to macrophages, dendritic cells, lymphocytes, fibroblasts (connective tissue), adipose tissue, and the pancreas. 

Limonene

Limonene is a cyclic monoterpene that in +Fiber Mash (and the other Regulator Complete products) comes from citrus pulp and 5 of the 6 herbs in the mixture.

Limonene has a broad anti-inflammatory effect both locally in the intestine and in tissues such as the respiratory tract where it reduces irritation in connection with asthma. Limonene has an activating effect on, among others, the adenosine receptors A2A and A2B and thereby contributes to general stress management, as well as inhibiting the growth of unwanted bacteria.

It has a regulatory effect on the dopamine system and GABA release in the brain and can thus reduce anxiety and possibly have a beneficial effect on PPID horses (not studied). Several monoterpenes have an effect on the endocannabinoid signaling system, completely unrelated to the cannabinoids CBD and THC from the hemp/cannabis plant.

The endocannabinoid system is the overall immune regulation and stress management system in mammals, which is why we have included limonene-containing citrus pulp and herbs in +Fiber Mash.

Uronic acid

Uronic acid is a carbohydrate and pectin source that is part of the hemicellulose fraction and is found in green pellets, beet pulp and citrus pulp. Uronic acid is important for connective tissue and detoxification in the liver's phase II system via glucuronic acid.

The large proportion of several different pectin sources can significantly bind free fluid in the intestine, so that the intestinal mucosa "has more time" to work with the contents, supported by the various other substances and herbs, while at the same time allowing the interaction and communication between the nervous system and the intestine to calm down.

The fiber composition also has a buffering effect in terms of stabilizing acidity and preventing acidosis in the intestine.

Pectin is a polysaccharide, a complex carbohydrate/fiber that is broken down in the intestines by microbes. Pectin is an important component for the functioning of the intestines. Pectin prolongs the time it takes for carbohydrates to be absorbed into the blood, thereby stabilizing blood sugar levels and preventing them from becoming too high. In contrast to, for example, white sugar, which is immediately absorbed into the blood and thereby contributes to high sugar levels, which the body converts into fat.

Summary

+Fiber Mash has a very broad effect on the interaction between the intestine, intestinal flora, microbiota and the enteric nervous system axis, which can be beneficial in a wide range of horses.

More information about +Fiber Mash

If you have any questions about +Fiber Mash, you are very welcome to use the comments field so that others can also benefit from the answer.

Table or

Table 1 summarizes the fiber components of the ingredients themselves, while Table 2 focuses on the other substances in +Fiber Mash.

Table 1

Fiber sources and percentage representation of fiber properties in Regulator Complete +Fiber Mash

Table explanation

1) Neutral Detergent Fibers (NDF)

NDF is a measure of the content of slowly metabolizable carbohydrates in the feed. A high content of NDF gives the feed a longer residence time in the horse and has a positive effect on the horse's behavior. NDF are fibers that do not dissolve when boiled in a neutral solution, also called cell wall substances, which primarily consist of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose can be utilized via the breakdown of microorganisms.

2) Acid Detergent Fibers (ADF)

ADF is the portion of fiber that is composed of cellulose and lignin. ADF is related to feed digestibility/energy and is used to calculate the total digestible nutrients or net energy of the feed for hay, wrap and straw feeds. Feeds with lower ADF are usually higher in energy.

ADF fibers that do not dissolve when boiled in an acidic solution, leaving a residue of cellulose, lignin and heat-damaged protein and a portion of cell wall protein and ash, which is the content of inorganic components in the feed, including minerals.

3) Lignin

Lignin is woody matter and is the completely indigestible fiber that, like NDF, has a positive effect on the horse's digestion. Lignin is a class of complex organic polymers that form important structural materials in the supporting tissue of most plants. Lignins are particularly important in the formation of cell walls, especially in wood and bark, because they provide rigidity and do not rot easily. Lignin acts as the "concrete" in a cell wall, where cellulose and hemicellulose correspond to "reinforcement iron". Approximately 20-30% of the dry matter in hard plants consists of lignin, making it, next to cellulose and chitin, the most commonly occurring organic compounds on earth.

Table 2

Other substances and components in Regulator Complete +Fiber Mash

Other substances with beneficial effects on digestion and the interaction between the nervous system and digestion

Scientific sources

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If you have any questions about +Fiber Mash, you are very welcome to use the comments field so that others can also benefit from the answer.