The EQUUS Vitamin Guide

Vitamin K
What it does:

• necessary for blood clotting and the utilization of several proteins throughout the body

Source:

• K₁ is found in fresh and dried green, leafy plants. K₂ is synthesized by gastrointestinal bacteria. A synthetic form, K₃ (menadione), is often included in vitamin supplements.

Imbalance risks:

• Deficiency - occurs only when the gut cannot synthesize K or liver damage makes it impossible for the body to absorb it. Some drugs can interfere with vitamin K production. Signs: internal and external hemorrhaging
• Excess - Overdose occurs only as a result of injecting K₃ when a horse is not deficient. Signs: renal damage, laminitis, death within 12 hours

More About B
These seven vitamins of the B complex are of minimal significance in your horse's diet because the body makes its own. There are no reports of adverse physical effects caused by their deficiency or excess. Still, you're likely to see them on feed and supplement labels. Here's what they do and where they're naturally found.

choline--component of cell membranes; necessary for the transmission of nerve impulses; helps to metabolize fat. Abundant in forages and grains.

cobalamin (B₁₂)--essential for the production of red blood cells. Produced by gastrointestinal bacteria; stored for weeks or months in the liver to compensate for any disruption in production.

folicin (B₉, folic acid)--involved in cellular metabolism and red blood cell formation. Abundant in grass; also created by gastrointestinal bacteria.

niacin (B₃)--used by every cell in the body for metabolism and DNA repair. Found in forage; synthesized in the intestinal tract from the amino acid tryptophan.

pantothenic acid (B₅)--used in general metabolism. Found in forage and grain; also produced by gastrointestinal bacteria.

pyridoxine (B₆)--used by enzymes to metabolize protein, fats and carbohydrates; contributes to red blood cell formation. Found in forages and grains; also produced by gastrointestinal bacteria.

riboflavin (B₂)--used to convert feed into energy. Found in hay and grain; synthesized in the small intestine by gastrointestinal bacteria.

This article originally appeared in the May 2007 issue of EQUUS magazine.