Vet Pro Chromium CR3 Plus

Chromium CR3 Plus for Performance contains organic chromium, amino acids important to muscle performance and repair and Vitamin B6. Human athletes have known about the role of Chromium as an essential nutrient for years. However, it is only since 1992 that equine researchers have clearly defined Chromium’s role in improving performance. Researchers have shown that horses fed 5mg of organic Chromium per day had significantly lower blood lactate and blood cortisol levels after intense exercise.

Lactic Acid is a by-product of energy metabolism. During intense exercise, it is accumulated in muscles and causes fatigue. Chromium has been shown to slow the buildup of lactic acid in the blood during strenuous exercise and delay the onset of fatigue. Thus increasing the amount of time an individual horse could sustain a maximal effort during intense exercise, racing or competition.

Cortisol is commonly termed the “stress hormone”. Levels increase during stressful periods. Increased cortisol levels lead to a reduction in insulin levels. This results in reduced energy utilization and protein synthesis, important factors in the athletic horse. Chromium enhances the effect of insulin and improves the uptake of glucose and amino acids into the muscle cells.

Tests have shown that supplementation with organic Chromium has been shown to increase stress resistance and improve immunity, helping with improving resistance to bacterial and viral diseases. Organic Chromium is a useful nutritional supplement to assist horses that may be susceptible to muscle Tye-up.

The addition of trivalent chromium to the diet allows better utilisation of energy through its effect on insulin, the hormone that regulates the transfer of glucose and amino acid between blood and muscle cells. Human studies have shown that daily supplementation with chromium, in combination with physical training, improved the transposition of body fat to muscle mass. The improved uptake of glucose boosts ATP production while the increased amino acid uptake has an anabolic effect, improving the muscle to fat ratio.

This aspect of a beneficial action on insulin has an important relevance to overweight and obese horses. When a horse becomes overweight, the effect of insulin is lowered (insulin resistance), it reduces the ability of the horse’s metabolism to convert fat to muscle. So fat is stored on the body – clearly seen in the fat cresty neck and pads on the rump. Miniature horses are especially prone to this condition. Tests can be carried out to confirm diagnosis and the possible onset of EMS and even Cushing disease.

Scientific tests and strong anecdotal results have shown that adding trivalent chromium to the diet at 4g per 500kg horse, has the effect of reducing insulin resistance so effectively improving the metabolic conversion and so reduce the fat stored. Acting early when first signs of being overweight are seen are vital to prevent the horse from travelling down the pathway to EMS, and other unhealthy results. For more information read the article ‘The Challenges for the Overweight Horse’

Active Ingredients per kg:

Trivalent Chromium 0.03%

L-Leucine 0.4%
L-Valine 0.4%
L-Isoleucine 0.2%
Pyridoxiline (B6) 0.1%

Daily Dose Rate:
• Performance Horses (500kg): 15gm (1 level scoop)
• Overweight Horses (500kg): 20gm
• Overweight Pony (300kg): 10gm
• Overweight Miniature Pony (150kg): 5gm (1 teaspoon)

Science References:

Chromium propionate increases insulin sensitivity in horses following oral and intravenous carbohydrate administration Jerry W Spears 1, Karen E Lloyd 1, Paul Siciliano 1, Shannon Pratt-Phillips 1, Ellen W Goertzen 1, Sarah J McLeod 1, Jennifer Moore 1, Kristi Krafka 2, Jill Hyda 2, Whitney Rounds 2

Influence of chromium tripicolinate on growth and glucose metabolism in yearling horses. E A Ott and J Kivipelto ANIM SCI 1999, 77:3022-3030

Equine endurance exercise alters serum branched-chain amino acid and alanine concentrations
N. L. TROTTIER*, B. D. NIELSEN , K. J. LANG, P. K. KU and H. C. SCHOTT† Departments of Animal Science and †Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1225, USA.

The effect of chromium supplementation on metabolic response to exercise in thoroughbred horses. Joe D Pagan, Stephen G Jackson, Stephen E Duran.

Influence of chromium supplementation on energy metabolism in horses used in policing activity
[Influência da suplementação com cromo sobre o metabolism energético em equinos
usados em atividade de policiamento] L.A. Fonseca1, F.M. Girardi1, C.S. Coelho2, G. Barioni1, V.B. Rangel1, R.C. Gonçalves3