Plant-Based Probiotic
Probiotics help support digestion efficiency, nutrient absorption, and overall immunity.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines “probiotics” as live microorganisms that provide health benefits when administered at sufficient concentrations. Probiotics act by stabilizing the “intestinal flora”, also referred to as the “microbiome”. A horse’s digestive system the stomach, the small intestines and the large intestines, also referred to as the “hindgut”. While the stomach is primarily responsible for physically breaking down food, microorganisms in the small and large intestine are responsible for “harvesting” nutrients and making them available for absorption into the bloodstream. Probiotics help ensure that the small and large intestine have healthy, flourishing microorganism colonies to support digestion efficiency and nutrient absorption1.
In addition, our patented probiotic has been shown to help support increased production of both B and T-cells within horses; these types of cells help horses stay healthy by actively neutralizing potentially harmful bacteria / pathogens.
Probiotics may be particularly helpful for active horses.
Research also shows that probiotic supplementation can substantially decrease lactate levels in blood. Lactate, or Lactic Acid, is produced in both humans and horses during periods of strenuous physical activity; Lactic Acid buildup puts increased strain on the liver (which is responsible for filtering lactic acid) and can cause a burning sensation in stressed muscle groups (which may affect performance and recovery). Research studies have shown that probiotic supplementation helps enable the body to switch from lactate-producing carbohydrates to short-chain fatty acids; this important effect suggests that probiotics may be particularly helpful for sustaining active horses2.
Plant-based probiotics have significant advantages over conventional probiotics.
At Proper Pastures, we have developed a patented plant-based probiotic that is scientifically proven to be more resistant to high temperatures and acidic environments3. These advantages allow us to create supplements that are more potent and more likely to survive and flourish in the digestive system’s acidic environment. Our labs have tested many conventional probiotics such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and have found that microorganism survival rates are dramatically affected at low pH levels and at high temperatures. For these reasons, many probiotic supplements available on the market today may not be as effective or may take significantly longer to produce the desired health benefits when compared to our patented Pediococcus probiotic. Research studies have shown that our probiotic is able to produce meaningful results in horses within 2 weeks and in some cases, within 2 days4.
1: Bonner, Equus Magazine, Mar 2015
2: Laghi, Zhu, Journal of Applied Physiology, Aug 2018
3: Furr, Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, Jun 2014
4: Wilson, Western Veterinary Conference, Feb 2012