What Is the Difference Between Elevate W.S. And Elevate Maintenance Powder or Elevate Concentrate Powder?
Elevate® natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol) is provided to horses in two physical forms, powder or liquid. Both forms can be absorbed by the horse. Elevate® Maintenance powder and Elevate® Concentrate powder are classified as an acetate (powdered) form of natural vitamin E. This describes its molecular structure. Acetates are a larger, more stable compound; therefore, it takes the horse a few more steps to digest and absorb it. It takes several weeks for vitamin E in powdered form to significantly increase levels in the horse’s body. The benefit of the powder is that it less likely to break down in the environment, so you can mix it in the feed ahead of time without worrying about it losing its potency. It is not affected by extreme temperatures, so it retains its biopotency when stored in various environmental conditions. It is both convenient and effective. Elevate Maintenance powder supplies 1000 IU of natural vitamin E per scoop and Elevate Concentrate supplies 5000 IU of natural vitamin E per scoop. The powder form is recommended when it is acceptable to raise blood levels slowly. Elevate Powder is the product of choice to maintain optimal levels of natural vitamin E over time.
Elevate W.S. is a water-soluble natural vitamin E. It goes through a patented process that changes its molecular structure so that is it easier for the horse to digest, absorb and store. Because of this change, Elevate W.S. is less stable in the environment, which is why you have to feed it immediately after removing it from the bottle. It begins to slowly break down as soon as it is exposed to light and air. It is will lose its biopotency when exposed to extreme temperatures. The benefit to this form of natural vitamin E is that it begins to increase blood levels within 24 hours and peak levels are reached in three days. Elevate W.S. also passes through the blood-brain barrier and is absorbed into the cerebral spinal fluid. Because of these benefits, Elevate W.S. is recommended for use when it is necessary to raise blood levels quickly and when neurological diseases are being treated.
The take-home message is this: Both liquid and powdered forms of Elevate natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol) are effectively absorbed and retained by horses. Elevate W.S. is fast-acting when acute situations demand quick absorption, and it is the product of choice when treating neurological issues. Elevate Maintenance and Elevate Concentrate are convenient and effective at slowly raising and then maintaining vitamin E levels necessary to support wellness and optimal performance.
Article written by KPP staff.
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10 Comments
I see you recommend switching from Elevate W.S to Elevate Concentrate to do it in transition. What is the difference between the 2 forms of Vit E. We have a horse with severe Vit E deficiency with neurological symptoms and we’ve been doing the concentrate powder for 2 weeks. She is showing some small signs of improvement. Our vet said we could use either supplement but I’ve been trying to figure out which one would be better and why. I see the W.S is more absorbable quickly and it crosses the blood brain barrier. Are they different forms of Vit E or just a different delivery system? Also would a horse benefit from doing a few days of the Elevate W.S and then half W.S half Concentrate and eventually weaning down to just the concentrate? Most of our horses are Vit E deficient in our area but we only have 1 that has neurological symptoms.
Hi Sarah,
Let’s look at each question individually.
I see you recommend switching from Elevate® W.S. to Elevate® Concentrate to do it in transition. What is the difference between the 2 forms of
vitamin E?
Yes, we recommend that you take 3 to 6 weeks to transition from Elevate W.S. to Elevate Concentrate depending on the level of supplementation. Elevate W.S. is water-soluble liquid, while Elevate Concentrate is an acetate powder. The molecular form is different. The water-soluble vitamin E is easier to digest, so it is absorbed faster and quickly increases vitamin E levels in the blood. Significant increases are seen in as little as 72 hours. The Elevate Concentrate causes a slow but consistent rise in blood levels. It takes 3 to 6 weeks to reach maximum benefits depending on the amount fed.
We have a horse with severe vitamin E deficiency with neurological symptoms and we’ve been doing the concentrate powder for 2 weeks. She is showing some small signs of improvement. Our vet said we could use either supplement but I’ve been trying to figure out which one would be better and why.
For the above reasons, in the case of a horse with neurological symptoms we recommend you use Elevate W.S. to quickly raise the blood levels up to the normal range and then slowly switch over to Elevate Concentrate to maintain vitamin E blood levels over the lifetime of the horse. The Elevate Concentrate will address the horse’s deficiency eventually, but it will take longer for the symptoms to resolve.
I see the W.S. is more absorbable quickly and it crosses the blood-brain barrier. Are they different forms of vitamin E or just a different delivery system?
The physical form of the vitamin E molecule is different in the two products.
Also, would a horse benefit from doing a few days of the Elevate W.S. and then half W.S. plus half Elevate Concentrate and eventually weaning down to just the concentrate?
For a horse with neurological dysfunction caused by vitamin E deficiency, we recommend supplementation with 5,000 IU to 10,000 IU of Elevate W.S. per day until symptoms subside or improve significantly, then we recommend slowly switching to Elevate Concentrate powder. The level of Elevate W.S. supplementation is related to many variables: diet, age, current health status, degree of neurological dysfunction and current vitamin E blood levels. Your veterinarian can advise you on the amount to administer or you can contact our office and speak to our product specialist. Most of our horses are vitamin E deficient in our area but we only have 1 that has neurological symptoms.
It is important to understand that vitamin E requirements vary between horses based on individual physiology, diet, age, additional health challenges and workload. Some horses need more vitamin E than others to maintain healthy blood levels. Horses that are deficient in vitamin E without neurological symptoms can be supplemented with Elevate Concentrate to raise blood levels up to the desired range and then meet ongoing requirements.
If you have any other questions, please let us know.
Hi! My horse is on 5k IU of Elevate concentrate and I usually mix the powder into dampened pellets as a carrier. During these really hot days in CA though, I’ve been mixing it into more of a soupy mash to get more fluids in her. Is it ok for the vitamin E to be mixed in with additional water or does that impact its potency at all? Thanks!!
Hi Tricia,
Thank you for contacting us with your question. It is a good one! Elevate Concentrate powder can be mixed into wet feed at the time of feeding as long as your horse finishes up her grain within an hour or so. Prolonged exposure to moisture will cause oxidation and reduce the potency of the vitamin E over time.
Hi — My horse has been on Elevate Maintenance since June. He was originally on 3000 IU (?), and then I upped it to 6000 IU a few weeks ago. I received test results back this week that there is a 95% chance he has EPM. I read that Elevate WS is the only E supplement that passes the brain barrier and that it should be used for horses being treated with neurological disorders. Accordingly, should I switch him to WS, and if so, what dosage should I be giving him and how should I transition him? Thank you.
Dear Natasha,
Thank you for contacting us. Elevate W.S. is the product of choice for supplementing horses with EPM.
You can switch over from Elevate Maintenance to Elevate W.S. immediately. The amount of Elevate W.S. given is related to the severity of the horse’s symptoms.
Supplementation levels range from 5,000 IU to 10,000 IU per day for horses with neurological symptoms. If you want to remain on 6,000 IU per day then you will need to give 12 mL per day of Elevate W.S.
Elevate W.S. contains 500 IU of natural vitamin E per 1 mL (1cc). If you are unsure of how much to supplement, consult your veterinarian.
I like to pull Elevate W.S. up in a small syringe and give it orally, but it can be put on the feed as long as the horse eats all his feed within an hour or so.
You can purchase a 20mm bottle adaptor for ease of use with a syringe. Your vet may have them, or you can find bottle adaptors online.
When you eventually switch back to Elevate Maintenance, you should do so over 4 weeks. Feed both Elevate W.S. and Elevate Maintenance at the same rate for 2 weeks, then slowly decrease the Elevate W.S. until you are only feeding the Maintenance.
Hello – My big mare’s been on Equate concentrate for over a year now and her levels are back where they should be – hooray!
I’d like to transition her from the concentrate onto your Equate Maintenance, and would appreciate professional suggestions on how best to do this.
Thanks for your time,
Cindy
You can switch over to Elevate Maintenance powder immediately, by simply adjusting the number of scoops you feed.
Elevate Concentrate provides 5,000 IU of vitamin E per scoop.
Elevate Maintenance provides 1,000 IU of vitamin E per scoop.
For example, if you want to provide 2,500 IU per day then you would transition from 1/2 scoop of Concentrate to 2 and 1/2 scoops of Maintenance.
You can split the amount of Elevate Maintenance into two feedings if you like. If you are switching from a higher therapeutic level to a lower maintenance level, you can do so immediately.
This is my first time on your website. 36 hours ago my horse was diagnosed- EPM with acute tongue paralysis and the inability to swallow. We have to get the titer results back, yet she has had a positive response to treatment. Along with all the other meds and supportive measures, she is receiving Elevate W.S. Our plan if she continues to improve is to transition her to Elevate Maintenance Powder. I was hoping you had a guide that I could follow in order to accomplish this transition without any drop in the therapeutic levels. I will continue to search your website until I hear back. Thank you.
KSC,
Making the Transition from Elevate W.S. to Elevate Maintenance Powder.
It may be appropriate for a veterinarian to prescribe long-term vitamin E supplementation to certain patients. While Elevate W.S. can be used over the long term, in some cases it will be advantageous to change the patient over to Elevate Maintenance Powder.
When switching from Elevate W.S liquid to Elevate Concentrate, a transition allows the horse to adapt to the different form of vitamin E. Transitioning over a period of 3 to 6 weeks, (depending on level of supplementation) is recommended. Over this time period, slowly decrease the amount of Elevate W.S. and replace it with equal IUs of Elevate Maintenance Powder.
There is also more information here under Serving and Storage Instructions https://kppusa.com/product/elevate-w-s/.