 1. Nutricines are naturally occurring feed components with health benefits. The following information outlines in more depth some of the principal features incorporated into Equilibra 500 to help provide an understanding of the science behind the product. Galactolipid Based Delivery System Galactolipids are molecule combinations of water-soluble sugars and soluble fats that are able to blend additional fats and water into the perfect medium for enzyme (see exp.2) activity. 2. Enzymes are proteins that help speed up chemical reactions in the body. Fat degrading enzymes (called: lipases) are water soluble, not fat-soluble. As a result, their ability to break down a material they cannot penetrate is restricted. In normal situations, the liver secretes bile to provide the emulsifiers (see expl.3) necessary to break down fats. However, the production of bile in the horse is both limited and slow and as a result, too much fat in the diet will cause a digestive problem. 3. Emulsifiers allow two materials that would not normally mix, to mix (i.e. water and fat). The result is called an emulsion. The inclusion of galactolipids provides a powerful aid to digestion, not only by supporting the emulsification of fats by the fat degrading enzymes, but also by providing the correct medium for the enterocyte (see exp.4) cells in the lining of the gut to receive and absorb the products of digestion. 4. Enterocyte - meaning: enterric cell - are cells in the lining of the gut that receive and absorb the products of digestion. Powerful Natural Antioxidants Tocotrienols are members of the vitamin E family, but have been shown by some studies to be as much as 40 times more potent per milligram than the standard form of vitamin E (called: alpha tocopherol) that is produced synthetically and used in supplements. In fact, a recent scientific paper stated that a blend of natural antioxidants is much more effective than a high level of vitamin E from alpha tocopherol. Antioxidants help to maintain cell integrity by delaying the ageing process and preventing disruptive chain reaction oxidation that can damage cells anywhere in the body. This relates to organs, joints, mucous membranes and the lining of the gut. Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation Equilibra 500 provides the vitamins and available minerals necessary to provide the recommended daily allowance for working horses without causing possible toxicity. Selenium is potentially toxic. Although the level would have to be relatively high to be fatal, levels that are several times higher than the recommended level could cause chronic toxicity. Chronic selenium toxicity is responsible for a condition called: alkali disease, that can result in the loss of hair from the tail and mane, abnormal hoof growth, lameness, anaemia, salivation, grinding of the teeth, paralysis and eventual death. Exclusive Ingredients to Maintain Digestion and Health Concentrated Beta Glucans: Concentrated oat derived beta glucans not only provide a feed source for beneficial bacteria (see exp.5), but also provide sugar molecules that have been shown to activate macrophages (see exp.6) as part of the immune defence mechanism. 5. Beneficial bacteria are capable of producing many of the enzymes necessary for the building up and breaking down of organic compounds. 6. A macrophage attacks and ingests bacteria as part of the immune response to infection. Oat beta glucan has been used in natural human treatment to stabilise blood sugar and is better than yeast beta glucan for the following reasons: 1. Oat beta glucan is a very large complex carbohydrate molecule that interfaces with the immune system cells to increase their effectiveness in responding to non-self and inappropriate inflammation. 2. Oat beta glucan is far easier to digest into the bloodstream and does not cause allergic responses. 3. Oat beta glucan from oats is a botanical product, while beta glucan from yeast is of animal origin. 4. Oat beta glucan does not cause inflammatory reactions. 5. Oat beta glucan is well known for it's efficacy in lowering blood cholesterol and balancing blood lipids. 6. Based upon recent research, it has been demonstrated that oat beta glucan produces three times more interleukons (see exp.7) in the body than yeast beta glucan. 7. Interleukons are the messenger chemicals that are naturally produced by the immune system cells. Concentrated Oat Bran Super Fibres: Concentrated oat bran super fibres help maintain natural viscosity and ensure a slow passage of feed through the gut to allow more time for digestion and absorption - a crucial element for efficient digestion. The stomach of the horse is small and the small intestine is relatively short. The intake of high levels of molassed feed, such as coarse mixes, has been shown to significantly reduce starch digestibility in the digestive tract, simply by the feed being eaten too quickly and passing through the stomach and small intestine quicker than it should. As a result, starch overload in the hindgut occurs, leading to a problem called: acidosis that can cause colics, ulcers and tying up. Not only does the oat fibre create a slower moving material by helping to bind the feed together as it passes through the gut, but the inclusion of lean black oats contains a form of starch called: amylopectin rather than the amylose source present in most other materials. Amylopectins benefit purely by their molecular makeup. Resembling a small bush in appearance, they are made up of short chains of glucose units with lots of branches. As a result, they allow easy access to starch degrading enzymes called: amylases that readily break them down. Amyloses, on the other hand, have very long chains of glucose units that group together rather like a handful of pencils and physically prevent the entry of the starch degrading enzymes, amylases. The process of cooking has the effect of driving the chains apart. Add to this the fact that horses do not produce much amylase and you can understand why uncooked starch from wheat and barley is 75 to 80% undigestible. Mini Pellet Technology It is important to appreciate that a percentage of pelleted feed eaten by the horse does not get chewed prior to entering the digestive system. Equilibra 500 is the first product of its type to benefit from a new, high quality, 2mm mini pellet that effectively increases the overall surface area of the product by weight. As a result, the amount of product exposed to the intestinal tract increases, ensuring a quick and efficient rate of nutrient absorption into the blood stream. | 
