Muscle Max

What is Vetpro Muscle Max?

Vetpro Muscle Max is a feed supplement formulated to maximise the efficiency of muscle metabolism. It does this in two ways, by improving lean muscle mass and by reducing the effects of post exercise muscle fatigue. Waste products from the energy burning process include water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, lactic acid and free radicals, all of which have the potential to reduce muscular efficiency.

Free radicals can cause serious damage to the muscle cell membrane. It is these free radicals, in conjunction with the waste ammonia and lactic acid, that many equine sport scientists believe are responsible for muscle fatigue and post exercise muscle soreness. (Mowry et al., 1022).

• It is a fat-based feed source to provide energy without the hype of carbohydrate feedstuffs that can create too much energy, sometimes making the management a challenge.
• It contains elements that improve muscle mass and therefore strength and stamina.
• Other elements reduce the negative effects of exercise on muscles and so improve recovery, as well as helping to convert fat to muscle.
• It is very easy for the horse to digest and can even help the digestion process by slowing the rate the feed moves through the gut. This allows for efficient digestion and reducing discomfort (gut pain) for the horse.
• It contains gamma oryzanol which offsets the damage from hard exercise (Ostaszewski et al., 2012).
• It provides a very high level of efficient antioxidants which protect muscle from free radical damage caused by hard exercise.
• Science has shown that Rice Bran has a beneficial influence on the immune system and anti-allergenic properties (Park et al. 2017)
• It is concentrated so at a supplement level it means that it doesn’t take up room in the feed bucket.

How do Antioxidants Help Horse Muscle Recovery?

Antioxidants are substances that inactivate the free radicals wi thin the cell.There are many nutritional antioxidants, mostly found in plants. Vetpro Muscle Max is an antioxidant supplement that contains stabilised rice-bran, a rich source of glycerides, free fatty acids, phospholipids and glycolipids. Its principal antioxidants are the tocopherols, tocotrienols and gamma oryzanol, as well as inositol, phytic acid and choline. Vitamin E is one of the Tocopherols found in Vetpro Muscle Max, but it is the tocotrienols that are many times more potent than Vitamin E, that makes it such a potent antioxidant formulation (Chong et al., 2025).

Gamma Oryzanol is a natural component of rice bran and as well as acting as an antioxidant, it has also been shown to reduce muscle fatigue and improve appetite.

Why Does Vetpro Muscle Max Contain Chromium?

Vetpro Muscle Max also contains chromium picolinate, which is not an antioxidant but is a natural chromium salt. Supplementing horses can ensure the maintenance of muscle homeostasis. It has been shown to increase the rate glucose is metabolised and to lower blood lactic acid levels during exercise. Research in the USA has shown that racehorses in full training, supplemented with 5mgs per day, had 13% lower blood lactate levels after intense exercise than the control horses used in the study (Pagan et al., 1995)

In summary, Vetpro Muscle Max combines the antioxidant properties of stabilised rice bran and along with chromium picolinate helps to reduce muscle fatigue and post exercise muscle damage. It also creates muscle gain and a reduction in body fat. It is a 100% natural product that can be used right up to and during competition. It is formulated with an apple flavour that horses find palatable.

Daily Dose Rate for Vetpro Muscle Max

Ponies – 60gm
Yearlings – 160gm
Sport Horses – 80 -100gm
Performance & Racehorses – 160gm
Underweight horse – 160gm
The dose rate can easily be adjusted to suit horses’ individual needs.

Available sizes: 2kg, 5kg, 20kg

FAQ

Why does the energy from rice bran not make a horse hyper?

Because it is a fat-based source of energy, it is carbohydrates like grains that can make a horse too energetic.

Does a horse gain weight with Rice Bran?

They can, it is useful to help a thin horse improve condition, the amount of the daily dose of muscle max can be adjusted so weight gain is not an issue, and chromium will prevent fat pads .

With phosphorous being in rice bran, will it affect the calcium -phosphorus ratio?

Yes, it can do if larger doses are given, it is important to make sure sufficient calcium is in the diet, adding a fully formulated mineral mix or feeding lucerne chaff will be beneficial. Vetpro Muscle Max is not a feed, so a supplement amount is unlikely to be a problem.

Will rice bran help to improve the horse’s coat?

Yes, the oil and the antioxidants in the rice bran will help to produce a glossy healthy coat.

Is Vetpro Muscle Max good for older horses?

Yes, the rice bran is easily digested by the older horse and can assist to maintain muscle mass (Filipiak et al., 2024).

Scientific References

• γ-Tocotrienol attenuates oxidative stress and preserves mitochondrial function in inflammation-induced muscle atrophy. Redox Biology, 87, Article 103874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2025.103874 – Chong, J. Y., Huang, T.-C., Chueh, S.-M., Ma, C.-Y., Kuo, T.-T., He, J.-J., Lo, Y.-J., Peng, K.-C., Ali, M., Chang, H.-Y., & Hsia, S.-M. (2025).
• Rice bran in old horses nutrition and its influence on condition, blood biochemical parameters, total faeces bacteria and methanogen population. Annals of Animal Science, 231), 173–183. https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2022-0051 – Filipiak, W., Cieślak, A., Gogulski, M., Kołodziejski, P., & Szumacher-Strabel, M. (2022).
• 15 potential benefits of rice bran oil for lightly worked young horses. Journal of Animal Science, 100(Supplement_1), 13–14. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skac028.025 – Mowry, K., Thomson, T., Morales, C., Smith, R., Fikes, K., & Suagee-Bedore, J. (2022).
• Effects of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate and γ-oryzanol on blood biochemical markers in exercising Thoroughbred race horses. ournal of Equine Veterinary Science, 32(9), 542–551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2012.01.002 – Ostaszewski, P., Kowalska, A., Szarska, E., Szpotański, P., Cywińska, A., Bałasińska, B., & Sadkowski, T. (2012).
• Influence of chromium tripicolinate on growth and glucose metabolism in yearling horses. Journal of Animal Science, 77(11), 3022–3030. https://doi.org/10.2527/1999.77113022x – Ott, E. A., & Kivipelto, J. (1999).
• The effect of chromium supplementation on metabolic response to exercise in Thoroughbred horses. Proceedings of the 14th Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society Symposium. – Pagan, J. D., Jackson, S. G., & Duren, S. E. (1995).