Iron in the Equine Diet

increases the amount of iron sequestered or captured by the macrophages in the blood stream Circulating free iron Fe2 liberated from spent red blood cells or macrophages is transferred back into the small intestine via bile This process limits any excess of oxidative free iron Fe2 in the bloodstream that might accumulate as a result of normal red and white blood cell turnover All of these processes serve to limit and regulate the amount of iron actually present in the horses body to what the horse actually needs metabolically and to prevent excessive free iron from accumulating