Inflammation

What is inflammation?

Inflammation may have a bad rap, but it’s simply the body’s defense mechanism that recognizes and removes harmful and foreign stimuli and triggers the healing process. Acute inflammation is when the body is doing its job to contain an infection or heal an injury. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, may deserve its negative reputation.

Effects of chronic inflammation can include:

• Gut permeability
• Susceptibility to disease
• Poor performance
• Lameness
• Insulin resistance
• Disruption of microbial balance

The cycle of chronic inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome

Chronic inflammation can disrupt the integrity of the intestinal barrier in several ways, including compromising tight junctions in the intestinal lining, increasing permeability, and damaging epithelial cells. This disruption can lead to Leaky Gut Syndrome (LGS), which allows harmful pathogens or toxins to cross the intestinal barrier and be absorbed into the bloodstream, resulting in systemic issues (even more inflammation). This negative cycle of inflammation can impair nutrient absorption, increase risk of infections, impact reproduction, lead to off feed events, and more.

What’s the solution?

The best way to prevent LGS or help heal a leaky gut is through proper nutrition and attention to gut health. These factors are also key to managing inflammation. Feeding nutrients that support gut health will help mitigate the everyday "slow leak" and improve the animal’s health and wellbeing. Feeding probiotics and related supplements can also improve microbial balance, help prevent disease, and ultimately improve gut health.^1,2,3,4

Kemin Solutions for managing inflammation and gut health

CLOSTAT^® active microbial contains a proprietary strain of Bacillus subtilis PB6. PB6 attacks and kills clostridia and other pathogenic bacteria that can negatively impact the gastrointestinal tract. With multiple product options, available for all species, CLOSTAT is an industry leader in reducing intestinal pathogen colonization.

KemTRACE^® Chromium – the first product of its kind on the market – is a highly bioavailable, organic source of chromium that helps improve glucose utilization and reduce the negative impacts of stress, including inflammation, for increased cellular energy and function.

ButiPEARL^® Z is an additive containing two powerful nutrients, butyric acid and zinc, to improve intestinal integrity and performance. Kemin’s proprietary MicroPEARLS^® spray freezing technology allows for the timely release of these two key nutrients throughout an animal's GI tract.

Want to learn more about inflammation?

Dr. Jessica Leatherwood spoke about inflammation at the 2023 Kemin Intestinal Health Symposium. While her presentation specifically focused on equine inflammation, much of what she spoke about applies to all species.

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Resources

¹Weese, J.S. (2002). Probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics. Journal of Equine Veterinarian Science;22(8):357 360. https://pubag.nal.usda.gov/catalog/648562.
²Jha, R., R. Das, S. Oak, P. Mishra. (2020). Probiotics (Direct-Fed Microbials) in Poultry Nutrition and Their Effects on Nutrient Utilization, Growth and Laying Performance, and Gut Health: A Systematic Review. Animals (Basel). 2020 Oct 13;10(10):1863. doi: 10.3390/ani10101863. PMID: 33066185; PMCID: PMC7602066. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7602066/.
³Kim S.W., M.E. Duarte. (2021). Understanding intestinal health in nursery pigs and the relevant nutritional strategies. Animal Bioscience. 2021 Mar;34(3):338-344. doi: 10.5713/ab.21.0010. Epub 2021 Feb 14. PMID: 33705620; PMCID: PMC7961202. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7961202/. 
⁴Uyeno, Y., S. Shigemori, T. Shimosato. (2015). Effect of Probiotics/Prebiotics on Cattle Health and Productivity. Microbes and Environments, 2015;30(2):126-32. doi: 10.1264/jsme2.ME14176. Epub 2015 May 23. PMID: 26004794; PMCID: PMC4462921. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462921/.