When you think of insulin, you might think first of humans and diabetes. But horses have insulin, too, as well as insulin-linked health issues. In fact, this is an area being touched on by researchers in multiple fields, from behavior to laminitis to exercise physiology. In this article, experts share their insights on what’s known about insulin, what’s under study, and what impact it all has on you and your horse.

What It Is, What It Does

Insulin is a hormone comprised of 51 amino acids. It’s produced by the pancreas in response to increased glucose levels in the blood and to changes in certain amino acids, explains Joe Pagan, PhD, president of Kentucky Equine Research (KER) in Versailles, Ky.

Insulin has multiple functions, but in a nutshell, it works to store nutrients from food. To do that, it essentially pulls glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids out of the horse’s bloodstream. Thus, it’s a key player in the regulation of carbohydrate (glucose), fat, and protein metabolism, explains Ray Geor, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, associate professor at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, and nutrition consultant for Purina Mills