Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Vitamin E or Selenium Supplementation of Sport Horses with Unspecified Muscle Problems. An Example of the Potential of Placebos

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Abstract
There are numerous anecdotal reports of the beneficial effects of various nutritional supplements for horses that, from a scientific basis, are unlikely to be effective. The present study was to investigate placebo effects on subjectively perceived parameters in sport horses. Because deficiencies of vitamin E and selenium may cause nutritional myopathy (1), German sport riders often presume that problems with their horses such as unresponsiveness or stiff back (back muscles do not relax and contract in the rhythm of the movement but remain permanently contracted, a condition that impairs the movements of the horse and gives the rider a very bumpy and uncomfortable ride) are caused by problems of muscle metabolism and may be alleviated by supplementation of extra vitamin E and/or selenium. These popular theories were used to investigate the potential of placebo effects.