Evaluation of Shiitake Mushroom (Lentinula edodes) Supplementation on the Blood Parameters of Young Thoroughbred Racehorses

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) are a valuable source of many important nutrients, vitamins and minerals. However, there are currently no standard protocols for testing the efficacy of shiitake mushrooms in equine nutritional supplementation. In total, 20 Thoroughbreds were divided into either the supplemented group or the control group. The supplemented group was given 30 g of L. edodes daily for four months. One blood sample was collected four times from each horse at four-week intervals. Our study showed differences between individual days of blood sampling in the supplement and control groups. Blood hematology showed that supplementation had an effect on monocytes. In a biochemical analysis, the shiitake mushroom affected the level of alkaline phosphatase, glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, lactic acid and cholesterol levels measured in the individual days of blood sampling. Our study is the first to demonstrate the influence of shiitake mushroom supplementation on blood parameters in young racehorses undergoing regular training. The greatest effects of supplementation were found for monocytes and alkaline phosphatase. Further studies are needed to show the influence of supplementation with shiitake mushrooms in larger groups of horses over a longer period. ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) supplementation on the hematology and biochemical blood parameters of young Thoroughbred racehorses. The study was conducted with 20 horses divided into two groups: the supplemented and the control group. The supplemented group was given 30 g of L. edodes daily for four months. One blood sample was collected four times from each horse at four-week intervals. The hematology analysis in the supplemented group showed a higher level of monocytes at day 56 when compared to the control group (p = 0.000986). Biochemical analysis showed that alkaline phosphatase is most sensitive to shiitake mushroom supplementation, with statistically significant lower levels in supplemented group compared to the control group on all individual days of blood sampling. It was also found that supplementation had an effect on the decrease of glucose levels on days 28 (p = 0.009109) and 56 y (p = 0.025749), on reduction aspartate aminotransferase level on day 56 (p = 0.017258) and a decrease of lactic acid on day 28 of sampling (p = 0.037636). Cholesterol levels decreased consistently in all individual days of blood sampling. Further studies are needed to show the influence of supplementation with shiitake mushroom in larger groups of horses over a longer period.