Effects of dietary vitamin E and C supplementation on heart failure in fast growing commercial broiler chickens

Abstract

1. It has recently been shown that oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of congestive heart failure (CHF) in broiler chickens. Vitamins E and C, common antioxidants, have been advocated for the prevention of heart failure in humans. The present study examines the effects of supplementation of these vitamins on incidence of CHF and prevention of oxidative stress in the myocardium.

2. Commercial male broilers were randomly allocated to three experimental groups and, respectively, offered commercial broiler diet (control), commercial diets fortified with vitamin E (960 IU/kg) or vitamin C (400 mg/kg). The broilers were monitored daily for overt signs of heart failure and clinical data including ECG and blood gas analysis were collected periodically. Lipid peroxidation was measured in cardiac tissues from apparently normal broilers and broilers developing CHF in each group using thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay.

3. Overall, the incidence of CHF in broilers given diets fortified with vitamin E or vitamin C was not significantly different as compared to the control group. The incidence of overt signs of hypoxaemia was lower in the vitamin C group than in the control group. Lipid peroxidation was highest in broilers that developed CHF as compared to apparently normal broilers fed either vitamin E or C fortified diets. Neither vitamin E nor vitamin C was effective in preventing oxidative damage in broilers that developed CHF.

4. In conclusion, the present study confirmed that oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of heart failure in broilers, but dietary supplementation of antioxidant vitamins did not prevent oxidative damage in broilers that developed CHF. Beneficial effects of vitamin C supplementation were evidenced by lower incidence of hypoxaemia, and the tendency to reduce the susceptibility of broilers to heart failure. However, vitamin E did not have any impact on clinical status or the incidence of CHF.

Acknowledgments

The research was supported by grants provided by the Poultry Industry Council, Lilydale Hatchery, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.