In human medicine, glucosamine, with or without chondroitin, is viewed with some skepticism. There are no conclusive studies showing an effect of glucosamine supplements in people with arthritis. It probably only has a small anti-inflammatory effect, which you mainly see in the beginning. Many doctors see the use of these supplements at most as a form of 'if it doesn't help, it doesn't hurt'. When you add glucosamine to your horse's feed, only a very small portion is absorbed by the intestines. Most of it never reaches the joints, where it should actually work.

Body produces its own glucosamine

Glucosamine and chondroitin belong to the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). These are molecules that are an important component of collagen-rich tissues. Think of cartilage, connective tissue, bones and synovial fluid (joint fluid) that acts as a lubricant for the joints. The body of humans and horses can produce these GAGs perfectly well on its own. So, if you can find a way to stimulate this natural production, you can get rid of the problem that glucosamine hardly reaches the right places through feed.

Silicon stimulates the body's own production of glucosamine

Studies show that silicon stimulates the production of collagen and bone formation. Silicon plays a connecting role in the production of GAGs such as glucosamine. It acts as a type of catalyst for the production process. A catalyst is a substance that affects the speed of a certain chemical reaction without being consumed itself. In this case, silicon stimulates the body's own production of glucosamine. This means that the amount of usable glucosamine for the body is much larger than when glucosamine is added. Because added glucosamine is not well absorbed by the horse's body.

A silicon deficiency leads to decreased bone density and osteoporosis. This has been shown in humans. Women in India, for example, have less osteoporosis than in Western Europe. This is because they consume more silicon through their diet. Silicon probably also plays a role in immune processes and inflammatory reactions. If there is too little silicon in the diet, it results in lower immunity and more intense inflammatory reactions. There are also indications that silicon contributes to the absorption of calcium, magnesium and copper, among other things.

Study in racehorses shows fewer injuries

Studies on the use of silicon supplements in growing chickens show improved bone quality. A study on silicon supplements has also been done in racehorses. In this study, researchers found that adding bio-available silicon improves performance and durability and can prevent injuries in horses.

Bio-available

Silicon is one of the most common minerals in the world. It is an important component of the earth's crust. For example, white sand is full of silicon. Unfortunately, it is not absorbable; only specific silicon compounds can be used by the body. Therefore, you must add silicon in liquid form to the diet to ensure that your horse produces more glucosamine on its own.

Slow effect

When you add silicon to the diet, its effect begins in the mucous membranes around the joints and in the joint fluid. Then the quality of the cartilage improves, and finally, the bone density also increases. You must give silicon for a long time because the process goes from the outside to the inside in the joints and bones. Human athletes with acute knee pain often notice a difference after a few days of taking silicon. This is because the mucous membranes and joint fluid are already improving. But to get stronger bones and prevent injuries, you must add silicon to the diet for a long time.

Conclusion

When you add glucosamine to your horse's feed, only a very small portion is absorbed by the intestines. Most of it never reaches the joints, where it should actually work. Studies have shown that the mineral silicon in liquid form stimulates the production of glucosamine by the horse's body itself. This way, it reaches the joints. Silicon works from the outside to the inside. This means that it first has an effect on the mucous membranes and joint fluid, then on the cartilage, and finally from the cartilage to the bones. That's why it is recommended to add silicon to the diet for the desired effect on the joints.

Sources:

D. Nielsen, G. D. Potter, E. L. Morris et al.. Training distanceto failure in young racing quarter horses fed sodium zeolite A. Journal of Equine Veterinary S cience,vol.13,no.10,pp.562–567,1993. Training distance to failure in young racing quarter horses fed sodium zeolite A

Charles T. Price, Kenneth J. Koval, and Joshua R. Langford. 2013. Silicon: A Review of Its Potential Role in the Prevention and Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis. International Journal of Endocrinology, Vol 2013. link

Mark JS Miller, Komal Mehta,Sameer Kunte, Vidyanand Raut, Jayesh Gala, Ramesh Dhumale, Anil Shukla, Hemant Tupalli, Himanshu Parikh, Paul Bobrowski, and Jayesh Chaudhary. Early relief of osteoarthritis symptoms with a natural mineral supplement and a herbomineral combination: A randomized controlled trial. 2005. Journal of Inflammation V2, 2005. link

Reffitt DM, Ogston N, Jugdaohsingh R, Cheung HF, Evans BA, Thompson RP, Powell JJ, Hampson GN. Orthosilicic acid stimulates collagen type 1 synthesis and osteoblastic differentiation in human osteoblast-like cells in vitro. Bone. 2003 Feb; 32 (2): 127-35. link