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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThere are twenty amino acids known that make up the building blocks for mammalian body protein. Approximately one-half of the amino acids are essential (this means the body is unable to make those nutrients; therefore, the nutrients must be ingested). Methionine is an essential amino acid that can be converted to cystine by the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cystine is important because it furnishes the sulfur crosslinks that are necessary for healthy collagen, thus strong hoof infrastructure (hoof, skin, hair, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage). A certain quantity of essential amino acids can be manufactured by the micro organisms in the hind gut of the equine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most hoof supplements containing methionine is the DL-methionine form. L-methionine is the biologically active form amounting to approximately 50% of the total DL-methionine. A supplement containing 6,000 milligrams of DL-methionine would contain 3,000 milligrams of the biologically active L form. There is no data on the equine requirements of methionine; however, the average requirements for other species converted to the metabolic size of a horse amounts to approximately 3,000 milligrams of L-methionine per day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n