Post by MIAVIT GmbH

𝗠𝘆𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Mycotoxins can impair animal performance through multiple mechanisms affecting nutrient absorption, intestinal barrier integrity, and nutrient utilization. These effects are primarily mediated by alterations at the intestinal level and by triggering the immune system. At the intestinal epithelium, exposure to mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON) has been shown to interfere with glucose absorption mechanisms, including sodium-dependent transport pathways, and to impair amino acid uptake through damage to microvilli and reduced epithelial turnover. As a consequence, fewer nutrients may effectively cross the intestinal barrier, resulting in reduced nutrient absorption. Beyond these direct effects on absorption, mycotoxins can progressively impair intestinal barrier function. Changes in the microbiota, reduced mucus production, epithelial damage, and alterations in the lamina propria can increase intestinal permeability, allowing toxins and endotoxins to translocate and contribute to activate the immune system. Under immune challenges induced by mycotoxin exposure, nutrient requirements for immune and maintenance functions increase. As a result, glucose and amino acids are preferentially utilized to support inflammatory and defensive processes rather than growth and productive functions. Over the long term, sustained immune responses may shift toward immunosuppression, increasing susceptibility to health challenges and further compromising efficiency. The key issue is not only how much nutrient is absorbed, but how nutrients are ultimately utilized over time. Taken together, reduced absorption and altered nutrient utilization help explain lower performance, poorer efficiency, and increased health risk under mycotoxin exposure. These findings highlight the importance of controlling mycotoxin contamination to preserve intestinal function, optimize nutrient utilization, and maintain animal performance. #MIAVIT #AnimalHealth #Mycotoxins