What Is Boswellia and Why Should I Feed It?

Boswellia has become a go-to ingredient for jointcare for both performance and older horses who are experiencing stiffness and wear and tear - but what is Boswellia?

Boswellia serrata is a plant native to India, North Africa and the Middle East. It grows in dry, mountainous regions and is part of the Frankincense family, showing how long it has been used for traditional medicine! Historically, it was used to help arthritis or other joint pains, but no-one knew why it worked. This anecdotal evidence resulted in research, which indicated that Boswellia has compounds called Boswellic acids, and these are the active ingredients. One of the most active boswellic acids is called acetyl-keto beta boswellic acid, shortened to AKBA. This compound exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties and has a role in inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines which can damage cartilage.

Horses' joints and muscles are often placed under considerable pressure from strenuous training, travel and competition programmes. Especially at longer events and shows, inflammation and free radicals are produced, which can significantly reduce a horse's performance. Ageing can also result in wear and tear, inflammation and damage to cartilage, and both will ultimately result in discomfort, stiffness and pain. Supplementing Boswellia and utilising its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties can help to maintain performance and support joint comfort.

What kind of Boswellia should you be feeding?

It's key that the type of Boswellia you feed contains high levels of the active ingredients - namely, AKBA. Equine America is currently the only UK manufacturer that can guarantee the level of boswellic acids in our products, so keep an eye out for our Buteless range, containing high AKBA for high support!