Chromium is an essential trace mineral involved in normal carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Chromium helps regulate the blood sugar and the amount of insulin a horse needs to produce. Chromium may also benefit horses with Cushing's Disease.
Magnesium is an electrolyte found inside the cells. It is involved in the electrical activity of nerve and muscle cells. You need adequate levels of magnesium to reduce stress and irritability, and is necessary for strong bones. Magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D are all necessary for strong bones. Approximately 70% of magnesium from the body of a horse is found in the bones.
Answers to some common questions about Chro-Mag:
What Is Insulin Resistance Or Metabolic Syndrome?
Insulin resistance is a nutritional imbalance in which we see our horses gain weight and become obese, with fat deposits above the eyes, on the loin, behind the shoulder or tail head and /or having a cresty neck. Your horse may have a never ending appetite or excessive drinking and urinating. It may also develop laminitis, lose body condition, muscle wasting, and/or low energy levels.
So How Does What I Feed Affect My Insulin Resistant Horse?
The feed that we give our horse has starch and sugar in it. Different ingredients have different levels of each. Sometimes the hay we feed has large amounts of sugar. Some of the grains we feed have large amounts of starch which is broken down into sugar. Glucose is made from the starch and sugars in the feed. Glucose is the source of energy for our cells to repair tissues, for growth, exercise, and many other functions. Glucose gets used in one of three basic ways: it can be burned off right away through exercise or work, it can be stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles for later use as energy, or it can be stored as fat if all the other sites in the body are filled up.
How Can Chro-Mag by Green Mountain Nutritional Services Help My Horse?
Chro-Mag is a nutritional supplement specially formulated to help the horse deal with insulin resistance and/or obesity. Insulin Resistance (IR) is sometimes referred to as Equine Metabolic Syndrome or EMS. Chro-Mag is composed of magnesium, chromium, and chelated trace minerals.
Chro-Mag has chromium, a trace mineral that is necessary for insulin function within the horse’s body. It is necessary for synthesis of cholesterol, fats, and protein. Chromium helps maintain stable blood sugar levels through proper insulin utilization and helps to reduce fatigue.
Chro-Mag has magnesium one of the major minerals required by horses that is often overlooked. Magnesium is necessary for the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates and protein synthesis. Magnesium helps to reduce stress and is referred to as the anti-irritable mineral. Magnesium improves the cellular response to insulin and helps stabilize blood glucose levels. Magnesium is necessary for sound bones and teeth. Its absorption can be interfered with by high intakes of calcium, phosphorus, and poorly digested fats (long chain saturated fatty acids).
Note: Chro-Mag has chelated trace minerals cobalt, zinc, manganese, and copper. These trace minerals work to help synthesize protein, energy, and fat. We use the chelated form because it is more available than the traditional inorganic forms.
What Is Insulin and How Does Insulin Affect My Horse?
Insulin is a hormone secreted into the blood stream from the pancreas. Insulin is needed to transport glucose across the cell membrane to supply the cells with energy. The more glucose in the blood the more insulin that is needed. When the horse has too much glucose for too long a period and it produces large amounts of insulin. The cell receptors become resistant to accepting the glucose and instead of providing energy for the cells it gets stored as fat often resulting in obesity.
How Did My Horse Become Insulin Resistant?
Insulin resistance can be caused by varying reasons:
- Genetic predisposition
- Consuming feeds high in carbohydrates and sugar
- Nutritional imbalances in protein, energy and minerals
- Chronic stress
- Lack of exercise
- Being overweight (a horse can be overweight and not IR)
How Can I Control My Horse’s Insulin Resistance?
- 30 minutes of exercise every day
- Feed a diet low in starch, sugar, or carbohydrates
- Soak hay in water if it is high in NSC (nonstructural carbohydrates)
- Restrict grazing time
- Balance the diet for protein, energy, and minerals
- Add fat calories – preferably one high in omega 3
- Feed meals evenly spaced apart
Does Chro-Mag Have Any Side Effects?
One side effect of feeding Chro-Mag is possible weight loss. Most people are “OK” with this side effect… in fact, we haven’t had any complaints about it to date.
Note: “We must be healthy to lose weight – not we must lose weight to be healthy”
Chro-Mag is available in 1, 5, 15 and 25 pound sizes.
Feeding Directions:
Feed 1 ounce per horse per day. A 1 ounce scoop is provided.
Days Supply (Based on 1 horse):
1 lb jar - 8-16 days
5 lb jar - 40 - 80 days
15 lb Pail - 120 - 240 days
25 lb Pail - 200 - 400 days
