Pig surrounded by antioxidants

Combatting Oxidative Stress in Pigs: Natural Solutions for Better Health

Samir D’Costa in Health & Wellness July 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover how antioxidants, including selenium, can protect your pigs from oxidative stress and improve their well-being."

Oxidative stress, resulting from an imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants, significantly impacts pig health. This imbalance leads to a surge in reactive oxygen species, harmful molecules that can damage cells and tissues. Factors like oxidized feed or environmental stressors exacerbate this condition, threatening animal welfare, performance, and product quality.

To counter oxidative stress, exogenous antioxidants are frequently added to animal feed. These include essential nutrients like vitamin E and selenium, as well as non-nutrients such as phytochemicals. While in-vitro studies offer valuable insights, in-vivo animal trials remain crucial for validating the effectiveness of antioxidants under real-world stress conditions.

This article explores how specific nutrients and non-nutrients can protect weaned pigs from oxidative stress. It emphasizes the role of selenium supplementation in mitigating the harmful effects of oxidative stress, using a diquat-induced stress model to illustrate its protective mechanisms.

Selenium's Protective Power: A Diquat Challenge Model

A diquat challenge model was used to investigate the antioxidant activity of selenium in weaned pigs. Diquat, a herbicide, induces acute oxidative stress by generating superoxide anion radicals. Selenium, a key component of selenoproteins, plays a vital role in antioxidant responses and immune function.

Research has demonstrated that diquat injection reduces feed intake and growth rate while increasing systemic inflammation and oxidative stress in weaned pigs. However, supplementing with 0.3 mg/kg of selenium significantly enhanced the antioxidant capacity of these animals.

Increased activity of antioxidant enzymes.
Reduced levels of malondialdehyde in plasma, liver, and brain.

The findings suggest that selenium can counteract the oxidative stress induced by diquat, highlighting its potential to improve pig health and resilience. These protective effects underscore the importance of selenium supplementation in mitigating oxidative stress in weaned pigs. Further research is needed to refine models and validate potential antioxidants.

Key Takeaways: Optimizing Pig Health Through Antioxidant Support

Strategic supplementation with nutrients like selenium can provide significant protective effects against oxidative stress in weaned pigs. By enhancing antioxidant capacity and reducing inflammation, selenium supports overall health and performance.

The diquat challenge model offers a valuable tool for assessing antioxidant efficacy. Future research should focus on refining these models and exploring combinations of in vitro and in vivo approaches to validate potential antioxidants.

Ultimately, understanding and mitigating oxidative stress is crucial for improving animal welfare, enhancing productivity, and ensuring the quality of animal products. Prioritizing antioxidant support, particularly through selenium supplementation, is a key step in promoting healthier and more resilient pigs.

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Everything You Need To Know

What exactly is oxidative stress in the context of pig health?

Oxidative stress arises from an imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants. This imbalance leads to a surge in reactive oxygen species, which are harmful molecules that damage cells and tissues. Factors like oxidized feed and environmental stressors can exacerbate the situation. When these reactive oxygen species are not adequately neutralized by antioxidants, they cause damage, impacting animal welfare, performance, and product quality in pigs.

What are antioxidants, and why are they important for pigs?

Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals or reactive oxygen species, which cause oxidative stress. Examples of antioxidants include essential nutrients such as vitamin E and selenium, as well as non-nutrients like phytochemicals. In pigs, adding these to feed helps counter the effects of oxidative stress, improving their health.

What is the role of selenium in protecting pigs from oxidative stress?

Selenium is a critical element in antioxidant responses and immune function, particularly within the context of pig health. Selenium is a key component of selenoproteins and is vital for maintaining a balance in the body that protects cells from damage. Studies, such as those using a diquat challenge model, demonstrate that selenium supplementation can significantly enhance the antioxidant capacity in pigs, such as increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes and reducing levels of malondialdehyde. This protective effect highlights the importance of selenium in mitigating oxidative stress, supporting overall pig health, and improving performance.

What is a diquat challenge model and how is it used?

A diquat challenge model is a scientific approach used to study the effects of oxidative stress and the protective effects of antioxidants, such as selenium, in weaned pigs. Diquat, a herbicide, induces acute oxidative stress by generating superoxide anion radicals. This model allows researchers to observe the impact of oxidative stress and assess the effectiveness of interventions, like selenium supplementation, in mitigating these effects. The model helps demonstrate how selenium can counteract the negative effects of oxidative stress, such as reduced feed intake and growth rate, systemic inflammation, and increased oxidative stress in pigs.

How can supplementation with nutrients like selenium benefit pigs?

Strategic supplementation with nutrients like selenium provides significant protection against oxidative stress in weaned pigs. It enhances antioxidant capacity and reduces inflammation. By adding selenium to the diet, producers can help their pigs cope with stress. This supports overall health and performance. Further research is needed to refine models and validate potential antioxidants, however, the use of selenium in this scenario provides a good outcome.