# feeding yeast to help with gastric ulcers?



## Inchy (3 December 2011)

I have been approched by a feed company about taking part in a trial into supplements for gastric ulcers... They are planning on marketing this yeast supplement (sacchromyces cerevisiae Sc47 EC No3) in the near future if the results are good...

Has anyone heard of using this as a treatment or preventative supplement for ulcers? If so what is the science behind it?

My horse: when scoped initially had grade IV ulcers, cleared this up with a few months on gastroguard. 

He does not appear to be a 'stressy horse', in fact he's pretty laid back. He lives out with his shetland friend 24/7 also lots of horses near by so plenty of company. Has constant access to grass, or if no grass (due to snow/travelling etc) he has adlib hay. He is on graze on chaff and pellets (pure dried grass) a feed balancer, corn oil and protexin biopremium. Goes back on gastroguard for shows, travelling, etc etc...

But still when we have routine scopes he has low grade ulcers, which we then clear up wth more gastroguard...but they always come back! 

Is there any more I can do??


----------



## Oberon (4 December 2011)

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the latin name for brewer's yeast - which people have been using for years as a supplement.

Can't imagine it would do any harm.


----------



## Inchy (4 December 2011)

Fancy name for brewers yeast! Thanks for that! 

Anyone any ideas why brewers yeast is good for ulcers?


----------



## Oberon (4 December 2011)

I don't know as it is really.

We fed it to encourage the bacteria in the large intestine. 

Depletion and destruction of the bacteria (in response to high sugar - like spring/frosty grass or high grain) has been linked as a cause of laminitis with Dr Pollitt's research.

Nowadays I've changed to Yea-sacc as you can feed less of it and the supply is more reliable.

How it aids ulcers, I don't know.

I'd appreciate being educated though, when you learn more from the company.


----------



## olop (4 December 2011)

My boy waas scoped for Ulcers a month & a bit ago & was diagnosed with low grade ulcers.  2 weeks of gastroguard cleared them up but the fact the vet bill was so high I asked my vet for a supplement to try to fight them coming back.  He suggested brewers yeast & my boy has been on it for roughly a month now & touch wood he is still unsymptamatic (SP??!!) its also given him a lovely shine to his coat


----------

