Magnesium for horses: why magnesium synergizes with B-vitamins and tryptophan The advice and information platform for all horse and dog enthusiasts.

Magnesium is an important mineral. In horses, it is important for energy transfer in muscle cells. The nervous system and immune system also need magnesium. The amount of magnesium a horse needs depends on factors such as the horse's age and the amount of work the animal does. For example, a sport horse needs more magnesium than a recreational horse, and a mare with a foal at foot needs more than an adult gelding.

Magnesium deficiency in horses

Sick horses often have a magnesium deficiency, especially when they have diarrhea. Dutch research by the Health Service for Animals in 2009 showed that about 50% of sick horses have a deficiency, and as much as 25% of healthy horses do too. If you do not supplement a magnesium deficiency through the diet, it can be a problem. The horse really needs magnesium because the mineral plays a role in over 300 enzymatic reactions and is essential for healthy cell function. If a magnesium deficiency is not corrected, the magnesium reserve will be tapped into. This reserve is located in the bones. A magnesium deficiency weakens the bone structure; magnesium is taken from the bones to allow the muscles and nervous system to function. Did you know that a magnesium deficiency can also be visible in the canter? Especially in the departure? A horse that often starts the canter with a cross-leap or in the wrong lead can have a magnesium deficiency.

Calcium and magnesium: cooperation and competition in the horse's body

A horse's magnesium uptake depends on the uptake of other minerals. For example, magnesium uptake increases when extra salt is fed. Magnesium uptake decreases with an excess of calcium and phosphorus in the diet. Magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus are all important for a horse's skeleton. Also, magnesium and calcium play a crucial role in muscles. Calcium causes muscle contractions, and magnesium causes relaxation. After a vigorous sports performance or intense stress, a horse can develop a magnesium deficiency. It is important to know: Calcium and magnesium are transported through the body via the same channels. If there is too much calcium, magnesium can no longer be absorbed or transported. Sometimes, the wrong ratio between the two minerals is the problem. There may not actually be a magnesium deficiency, but rather an excess of calcium. In the ideal situation, the ratio of calcium-phosphorus-magnesium in a horse's total diet is 2-1-1.

Mineral deficiency in horse forage

Dutch forage is often low in minerals. Due to acidification (over-fertilization) of Dutch soils, magnesium is washed away. Therefore, Dutch hay and Dutch grass often contain relatively little magnesium. You can test this for your forage or pasture with a scan. Some types of forage, such as alfalfa, contain a lot of calcium but little magnesium. Concentrate usually contains phosphorus from grains. In sport muesli, this is often supplemented with calcium and magnesium. But did you know that due to these grains in concentrates, a horse's body actually needs more magnesium?

Does my horse have a magnesium deficiency?

It's quite complicated to demonstrate a magnesium deficiency in horses. Measuring it in the blood is not very useful because the magnesium concentration in the blood plasma is replenished from the bones. It also depends on what the horse has eaten before the blood sample. Therefore, you need to look at the symptoms of a magnesium deficiency to get an idea. Your horse may have a magnesium deficiency if it shows one or more of the following symptoms:

Stiff muscles, poor performance
Canter with a cross-leap
Canter on the wrong lead
Stress, nervousness, skittishness
Insulin resistance, thick crest, EMS
(Susceptibility to) laminitis

Which type of magnesium is suitable for horses?

If you suspect a magnesium deficiency, you can give your horse some extra magnesium for a while and see if it improves. An excess of magnesium is excreted in the urine, so this is not a dangerous experiment. However, you need to pay attention to the form in which you feed the magnesium. There are many types of magnesium that are poorly absorbed by horses. This is essentially wasted money. Magnesium citrate is fairly well absorbed and is often used. The only drawback is that this organic form of magnesium uses the same route as calcium. So when feeding magnesium citrate, you need to make sure the ratios with the other minerals are correct. You can also use magnesium chelate. This is the most absorbable form for horses. This is because 'chelate' means that the magnesium is bound to a protein. The body recognizes it as a protein and absorbs it differently from citrate. Magnesium chelate bypasses competition with minerals such as calcium or phosphorus. The body sees it as an amino acid and absorbs it well. Magnesium chelate is also called magnesium bisglycinate. Many magnesium chelate supplements are in powdered form. If you want the best absorbable form, choose liquid magnesium chelate. This can go directly through the intestinal wall without needing to be dissolved first. Additionally, it is well known that minerals in liquid form are always better absorbed than in solid form. This also applies to liquid magnesium.

Vitamin B: for nervous system and energy metabolism

Magnesium is best fed in combination with vitamin B because some types of vitamin B also play a role in cell energy metabolism, just like magnesium. When supplemented simultaneously, this provides a reinforcing effect. Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, is important for carbohydrate metabolism. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) contributes to amino acid metabolism, a healthy nervous system, and the immune system. It also helps magnesium pass through the cell wall more easily. Vitamin B12 helps in the production of red blood cells (important for oxygen uptake and endurance) and glucose metabolism. A supplement with both vitamin B and magnesium is beneficial for muscles, especially for sport horses.

Tryptophan: essential amino acid

In addition to B-vitamins, tryptophan is a great addition to the mineral magnesium. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid. This means that the horse cannot produce this amino acid itself, but it must be in its diet. Tryptophan is the building block for serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, important for mood, sleep, stress, mood, memory, and emotions such as anxiety. Tryptophan helps release tension and enables a horse to cope more easily with stressful situations. You can imagine that tryptophan and magnesium complement and enhance each other in these areas.

Conclusion: Feed well-absorbed magnesium, with extras

If you suspect a magnesium deficiency in your horse, you can add magnesium to its diet. Use the highly absorbable form, preferably liquid magnesium chelate. An addition of vitamin B has a favorable effect on muscles and energy metabolism. Furthermore, vitamin B6 facilitates the magnesium passing through the cell wall more easily. Adding tryptophan results in an additional reduction of nervousness and stress. Also, check if you are not feeding an excess of calcium because this can block the absorption of magnesium.