See below for an educational and informative article from Madalyn Ward, DVM, on the topic of stress and how it affects a horse’s liver function. This is part 1, stay tuned for part 2.

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Last month we talked about how stress can cause ulcers in horses and this month I want to talk about how stress in horses can affect liver function. Liver health is essential for proper digestion, sugar metabolism, hormone production and detoxification. Stress and liver health are connected through the hormone, insulin. Occasional stress will strengthen the body’s defenses but chronic low grade stress will have the opposite effect. The liver is particularly damaged by chronic stress.

Critical liver functions in the body:

• Fat digestion
• Sugar metabolism
• Hormone production
• Detoxification

How Stress Affects the Liver

Stress in horses causes an increase in the hormone cortisol which causes the liver to release glucose into the bloodstream and if there is a real danger then the glucose activates the fight or flee response. If the danger is not real but more of a chronic trigger then the body must produce insulin to lower the glucose levels in the blood. One way that insulin lowers sugar levels is to convert the sugar into fat. When sugar and insulin levels drop back to normal, the fat can be broken back down for energy but when stress is ongoing, insulin levels never drop to normal and fat can’t be broken down even
with strict diets.

Normal stress reaction — increased cortisol — increased sugar released into bloodstream by liver — sugar used up by body energy output

Abnormal or chronic stress reaction — increased cortisol — increased sugar released into bloodstream by liver — insulin released by pancreas to lower sugar levels — sugar turned into fat which is deposited in tissues including the liver — weight gain, poor liver function, inability to breakdown fat stores.

More from Madalyn Ward, DVM:

www.holistichorsekeeping.com
www.horseharmony.com
www.horseharmonytest.com
blog.horseharmony.com
http://www.facebook.com/HorseHarmony
Twitter: @madalynward