Dr. Mercola of Mercola.com shares some interesting and healthful information about probiotics. No specific mention of benefits to cats or dogs, but we can safely assume our pets can benefit in similar fashion as research shows humans can.
Dr. Mercola’s article on probiotics quotes research from NutraIngredients.com sharing that consuming probiotic bacteria “was associated with changes in the activity of hundreds of genes, with the changes resembling the effects of certain medicines in the human body, including medicines that positively influence the immune system and those for lowering blood pressure.”
From Dr. Mercola’s opinion on probiotics he states “One of the most cutting-edge fields of medicine is epigenetics, which has shown that your lifestyle plays a significant role in how your genes are expressed. The widely accepted dogma that your genes control your health destiny is now being completely uprooted, as your genetic code is not set in stone. Rather it is constantly changing based on factors like your diet and stress levels.”
“To put it simply, the more dietary and lifestyle habits you engage in that positively influence your genetic expression, the more protection you’ll naturally receive against a host of chronic illnesses.”
“Epigenetic therapy, which is essentially the curing of disease by epigenetic manipulation, involves changing the instructions to your cells — reactivating desirable genes and deactivating undesirable ones. This emerging field, now in its infancy, may represent the future of medicine.”
“But you can start to take advantage of it now by incorporating probiotics and other foods into your diet that help support healthful genetic expression.” http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/11/probiotics-healing-power-impresses-researchers.aspx
Probiotics are ‘friendly bacteria’ included in many pet foods. However, research has shown that although probiotics are listed on pet food labels in the ingredient panel (scientific sounding words like Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium thermophilum, and/or Enterococcus faecium), the bacteria might not be live and viable (of no benefit to your pet) in many pet food brands.
It is recommended to ask your pet food manufacturer if they guarantee the probiotic bacteria is live and viable. If the pet food does not guarantee the bacteria is live and viable, you can safely assume it is of no benefit to your pet (not live and viable bacteria). Some manufacturers provide guarantee information of probiotics in the Guaranteed Analysis statement on the label or on the Guaranteed Analysis statement on the pet food website. Canned pet foods do not contain probiotics; if your pet is eating a canned diet only, consider adding a quality probiotic supplement daily. I purchase my probiotics (for the furry and human residents of my house) from www.MightyMicrobes.com (no…I get no kickback from this company for mentioning I’m their customer – I simply like and trust their product).
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author, Buyer Beware
Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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