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Can Turmeric help muscle activity and exercise tolerance in horses?

Yes, turmeric can be very good for muscle health!


Hard working horse

Let’s dive into it:


Muscle damage is common post-exercise due to the release of inflammatory prostaglandins under the control of COX-1 and COX-2, leading to muscle cell damage and breakdown. Increased muscle cell membrane permeability causes release of CK (creatinine kinase). This is what veterinarians can measure on bloodwork to tell you if a horse is “tying-up” after exercise. Exercise induced muscle damage can leave a horse feeling sore for days (same as people).


How does Turmeric help?!?


Turmeric decreases the release of prostaglandins by downregulating COX-2, resulting in a muscle protective effect.


It gets even better!


Studies have shown not only does Turmeric supplementation results in decreased CK (meaning less muscle damage) post-exercise, but it also increased oxidative capacity which makes muscle more effective. This results in less heat, pain, and muscle soreness.


So, we know it helps our active horses, but what about our old retired ones?


Good news, Turmeric also preserves muscle mass with age. Turmeric supplementation has been demonstrated to balance the catabolic and anabolic stages of muscle turnover (build up and break down). With age, the body tends to break down muscle more than it builds it. Turmeric helps to balance this process, maintaining muscle mass and strength. There is also evidence that Turmeric reduces age related mitochondrial damage, which is the powerhouse of the muscle cell, fostering muscle cell growth and division.


In summary, Turmeric helps the young and the old horse maintain healthy, functional muscles.


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Check out our Lifespan product!




References:

Nanavati K, Rutherfurd-Markwick K, Lee SJ, Bishop NC, Ali A. Effect of curcumin supplementation on exercise-induced muscle damage: a narrative review. Eur J Nutr. 2022 Dec;61(8):3835-3855. doi: 10.1007/s00394-022-02943-7. Epub 2022 Jul 13. PMID: 35831667; PMCID: PMC9596560.

Lyu W, Kousaka M, Jia H, Kato H. Effects of Turmeric Extract on Age-Related Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Senescence-Accelerated Mice. Life (Basel). 2023 Apr 3;13(4):941. doi: 10.3390/life13040941. PMID: 37109470; PMCID: PMC10141758.


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