Brewer's yeast as a calmer?

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chestnut cob

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Just pondering calming supplements.... Supposedly brewer's yeast is "very effective" as a calmer. Does anyone know *why*? How does it work? I understand how magnesium works as a calmer, just not sure by what mechanism brewer's yeast works.

Thanks :)
 
Hmm not sure about the tryptophan, was under the impression it is fairly low in brewers yeast. Certainly though brewers yeast seem for some horses to make quite a difference to their attitude, a case of making them far less likely to over-react. Fair to say too that for other horses does not seem to make much difference to temperament. Overall think it is a good thing as has many nutritional benefits.
 
chestnut cob said:
Yes I've heard it can apparently make a difference to some. I just wondered why and by what mechanism. No one seems to talk much about the chemistry behind it.
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Probably because there isn't any! Brewers yeast is essentially a form of Saccharomyces cerevisiae so good for GI disturbance or to maintain a healthy gut. But there are much better products to do that out there. Also be warned it can be high is selenium which can be harmful in high doses.
So as a calmer..... No! Unless your horse has a poor tummy then just like us, it won't be as stressed if that tummy is made to feel better ;)
 
I suspect that there are some calming properties because, with the exception of B12, it is absolutely packed with B-vitamins. B5 is active in the production of steroid hormones and neurotransmitters and B6 is essential for the synthesis of neurotransmitters. People often used to be prescribed a Vitamin B complex tablet if they were of a 'nervous' disposition.

However, Brewer's yeast is a natural prebiotic. Whilst it's not full of gut flora, it contains all the nutrients necessary for the good bacteria to flourish. By having a good level of good bacteria in the gut, you are enabling a neutralising of a somewhat acidic environment, i.e it's an antacid. The acid is, of course, an irritant on the gut lining when produced in large quantities. Neutralising this acid will automatically lessen the amount of inflammation in the gut.

Gastric acid production is regulated by the nervous system and a number of hormones (whose names I have long since forgotten but I do remember that histamine is in there somewhere as it's an immune reaction). If the horse, which is a flight animal predominantly, is worried about something, its gastric acid content is going to start flowing. If it's permanently worried, you can imagine that the good bacteria will be fighting for survival in a sea of gastric juices constantly irritating the gut. Which is going to get pretty inflamed. Which is going to hurt a bit. Which is going to worry the horse more. Which will produce more gastric acid. You get the picture?

So, neutralise the acid and you reduce the amount of hurt on the inside which in turn will lessen the amount of worry. And in many, not all, cases, that's why a good dose of brewer's yeast works as a calmer.
 
Hereshoping said:
I suspect that there are some calming properties because, with the exception of B12, it is absolutely packed with B-vitamins. B5 is active in the production of steroid hormones and neurotransmitters and B6 is essential for the synthesis of neurotransmitters. People often used to be prescribed a Vitamin B complex tablet if they were of a 'nervous' disposition.

However, Brewer's yeast is a natural prebiotic. Whilst it's not full of gut flora, it contains all the nutrients necessary for the good bacteria to flourish. By having a good level of good bacteria in the gut, you are enabling a neutralising of a somewhat acidic environment, i.e it's an antacid. The acid is, of course, an irritant on the gut lining when produced in large quantities. Neutralising this acid will automatically lessen the amount of inflammation in the gut.

Gastric acid production is regulated by the nervous system and a number of hormones (whose names I have long since forgotten but I do remember that histamine is in there somewhere as it's an immune reaction). If the horse, which is a flight animal predominantly, is worried about something, its gastric acid content is going to start flowing. If it's permanently worried, you can imagine that the good bacteria will be fighting for survival in a sea of gastric juices constantly irritating the gut. Which is going to get pretty inflamed. Which is going to hurt a bit. Which is going to worry the horse more. Which will produce more gastric acid. You get the picture?

So, neutralise the acid and you reduce the amount of hurt on the inside which in turn will lessen the amount of worry. And in many, not all, cases, that's why a good dose of brewer's yeast works as a calmer.
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Excellent post! Particularly interesting to me as I have been considering trying brewers yeast with a view to taking my horse off Relax Me, which is made up of B vits, magnesium (only a small amount),yeasacc, liquorice and silica.
 
so pleased to hear fuzzypuff i do the same!! liquorice root powder i use, but not heard of silica what is silica used for?? so intreasted in thisxxxx
 
fuzzle said:
so pleased to hear fuzzypuff i do the same!! liquorice root powder i use, but not heard of silica what is silica used for?? so intreasted in thisxxxx
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Silica is, in conjunction with Calcium, thought to play a role in improving bone density (and improve skin, digestive function, hair growth, cardiovascular activity). My thoughts on this are that it's only going to work in the instance of a Vit D deficiency, or a deficiency of itself, but as the jury is pretty much out on that one - the D vit, I mean, there's no conclusive evidence. Thing is, the body only really absorbs silica in the form of orthosilicic acid and unless there's some way of converting in a herbivore that I am unaware of, the bioavailability of ground glass is not going to be very high. I am sure that horses get enough Si from the soil and dirt attached to the grass/hay they consume.

Silica is a key component in sand.
 
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I wonder if it is something to do with what it says here http://mountainmistbotanicals.com/info/Silica_Diatomaceous Earth vs Horsetail Grass.htm about silica being converted to orthosilic acid by the presence of acid? This is completely speculation but maybe they think the process might reduce the amount of acid?? I could be barking up the completely wrong tree though! Silica does seem to be in a few gut supplements.

Regarding brewers yeast, I read somewhere that the quality/composition can be variable - any thoughts on that? How can you know how much of anything is in it?

My thinking on it was also that if the population of microbes in the hindgut is disturbed, pre/probiotics will help re-establish it, but in the meantime there must surely be a deficiency of the b vits that these microbes ordinarily produce? So therefore the b vits in the brewers yeast will be helping with this? I sort of made an assumption that this is why the b vits are in the Relax Me, and I am guessing that a lack of certain b vits could cause anxiety??
 
Fuzzypuff said:
Excellent post! Particularly interesting to me as I have been considering trying brewers yeast with a view to taking my horse off Relax Me, which is made up of B vits, magnesium (only a small amount),yeasacc, liquorice and silica.
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I took mine off Relax Me- he was back on it 4 days later!!! Hadnt really appreciated the difference it made :-0 !!!!
 
Sorry to butt into the thread but wondered if anyone has used ProKalm and if so any opinions. I was looking at Relax Me but went for ProKalm instead?

Any recommendations?
 
Arabhorse said:
Sorry to butt into the thread but wondered if anyone has used ProKalm and if so any opinions. I was looking at Relax Me but went for ProKalm instead?

Any recommendations?
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Yep we've used it for a while now. Def takes the edge off without losing any performance. Also stopped one of our welsh ponies from weaving. We use the powder not the syringe.
 
Hereshoping said:
Silica is, in conjunction with Calcium, thought to play a role in improving bone density (and improve skin, digestive function, hair growth, cardiovascular activity). My thoughts on this are that it's only going to work in the instance of a Vit D deficiency, or a deficiency of itself, but as the jury is pretty much out on that one - the D vit, I mean, there's no conclusive evidence. Thing is, the body only really absorbs silica in the form of orthosilicic acid and unless there's some way of converting in a herbivore that I am unaware of, the bioavailability of ground glass is not going to be very high. I am sure that horses get enough Si from the soil and dirt attached to the grass/hay they consume.

Silica is a key component in sand.
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Is silica different to silicon then? My boy is also on Equi Elements which is a silicon based bone/joint supplement.
 
So where do people buy their brewer's yeast from? And how do you know how much to feed?

The theories behind it make complete sense to me and I've been considering feeding a calmer to my boy for a while. He constantly stresses, even when you think he's chilled you can see he's worrying about something.

I know the benefits of B vits myself so it makes sense that it would have a similar calming effect on horses.

Great post Hereshoping!
 
Fuzzypuff said:
Is silica different to silicon then? My boy is also on Equi Elements which is a silicon based bone/joint supplement.
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Silicon is an element, i.e. a pure and unfettered substance, like iron before it gets rusty.

Silica is silicon and oxygen combined...and only silicon and oxygen - there shouldn't be anything else in it, otherwise it would be a silicate. Quartz is silica;feldspar is a silicate.

I think the 'silica' you find in supplements is, as you suggest, ortho/monosilicic acid.

TommyTwoShoes, I get my BY from Snack and Tack. It's a great service and a good quality.
 
Most big tackshops (country stores as they like to be known these days, or is it just round here they're having a makeover?) stock brewers yeast.
 
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