The Power of Precision: Screening BioStar Ingredient Prospects

One of my jobs as a formulator is to seek out clinically studied ingredients –- both well-known and new to the market. I leave no stone unturned to stay on top of the innovations in food science, extracts, and nutraceuticals.

The process of sourcing ingredients is often long and arduous, as BioStar has particular requirements on raw materials – all put in place with the health of horse’s and dog’s in the forefront of our minds. This list includes:

• • Farm-to-table traceability
  • Plant, fungi, or whole food derived
  • Environment sustainability standards compliance
  • Rigorously studied for provable success in clinical trials
  • And more!

CoQ10: The trustworthy, powerhouse antioxidant

Over the years of seeking and sourcing, an ingredient I’ve always kept my eye on is CoQ10. This super antioxidant is found in cell membranes, with highest concentrations being housed in the mitochondria. It is capable of regenerating other antioxidants like vitamin E and vitamin C.

In my research, I learned that CoQ10 aids in boosting the equine immune system, as well as reducing oxidative stress; thereby assisting in improved athletic performances. It can also help with the common conditions that plague many of our horses: arthritis, laminitis, respiratory disorders, and metabolic imbalances (like myofibrillar myopathy [MFM]).

CoQ10 comes in two different forms, each with varying purposes and uses:

• Ubiquinone:
  • Most commonly used amongst supplement companies
  • More cost effective than Ubiquinol
  • Requires the body to convert it into Ubiquinol prior to absorption
  • Has lower bioavailability than Ubiquinol
• Ubiquinol:
  • Does not require conversion in the body
  • Identical to the Ubiquinol that body produces naturally
  • Benefits horses dealing with the common conditions listed above
  • Requires a lower dosage due to its higher bioavailability

Beta Testing Kaneka Nutrients’ CoQ10

BioStar is currently beta testing ubiquinol from the innovative Japanese nutraceutical manufacturer, Kaneka Nutrients. Kaneka’s ubiquinol is a yeast-fermented CoQ10 that is bioidentical to the ubiquinol our bodies produce naturally. Their product has over 85 human clinical studies, including studies published in peer-reviewed journals.

As an added bonus to an already impressive ingredient, we don’t have to import Kaneka’s ubiquinol from Japan; they have a full manufacturing facility in Texas.

Also on the horizon: Tetradesmus obliquus

Tetradesmus obliquus, a microalga found in freshwater, is rich in proteins, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants.

Studies show this microalga helps:

• • • Improve gut microbiota balance
    • Increase digestive comfort
    • Support the gut-brain axis
    • Nurture mental well-being
    • Support the gut’s intestinal mucilage (which helps reduce inflammation)
    • Reduce the stress response biomarker chromogranin A (CgA)

Its ability to reduce CgA is especially interesting, because stress affects the gut, which in turn imbalances in the microbiota colonies. Stress can also affect the brain by increasing anxious responses, disrupting memory, and temporarily impairing cognitive function.

This specific microalga comes to us from France and is grown in photobioreactors (horizontal tubes that use light, water, and nutrients to grow photosynthesizing organisms). The company has been awarded the ECOVADIS Silver Medal for beneficial environmental impact and protecting biodiversity and natural ecosystems.

We will be beta testing Tetradesmus obliquus in Wellington, Florida this 2025 season (January to April).

About the Author: With over 30 years experience in the equine and human supplement industry, Tigger Montague knows nutrition from the synthetic side as well as the whole food side. She started BioStar US in 2006 with formulas she created in her kitchen. Before she started the company, she was an avid rider and competitor with eventing and show jumping, until she got hooked on dressage in the late 1980’s. She has competed on horses she’s owned and trained all the way from training level to Grand Prix.