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The Power of Probiotics, Prebiotics and Immunoglobulins

The Power of Probiotics, Prebiotics and Immunoglobulins

Every day our four legged family members’ digestive systems are in constant jeopardy from bacteria, viruses and a myriad of toxins. These unwelcome guests are always invading the digestive systems of our beloved pets. We can however take preventative steps which will greatly improve and fortify their Gastrointestinal (GI) systems, causing them to function more efficiently. These steps will improve overall health and provide peace of mind to pet owners. Everything that our pets consume affects their overall health and immune systems in one way or another. Maintaining a healthy immune system is the key to living a happy healthy life.

Our pets eating habits, whether they stay indoors or outdoors, their types of diet, various stressful events all affect the way their bodies digest food and absorb nutrients.

We now live in an era of highly resistant bacteria due to rampant overuse of conventional antibiotics. Contamination of our water and food sources are also a major concern and therefore we must take extra steps to keep our beloved pets healthy.

The best way to fortify our pets’ digestive systems involves the use of nutraceuticals like Probiotics, Prebiotics and Immunoglobulins IgY. The latest research in human and veterinary medicine have proven that these nutraceuticals are extremely beneficial in supporting intestinal microbiomes or good bacteria.

Various studies involving Prebiotics, Probiotics and Immunoglobulins have demonstrated the remarkable abilities of these nutraceuticals in strengthening the immune system, managing diarrhea associated with various factors such as stress, diet changes, antibiotic/chemotherapy and inflammatory bowel disease.

Our pets eating habits, staying indoors/outdoors or both, types of diet and stressful events can all affect the way their body digest food and absorb nutrients.

In the era of resistant bacteria becoming more prevalent and conventional antibiotics contaminating our water/food sources has become a major concern and brings us to healthier next steps for our beloved pets.

The next steps in helping our pets digestive system prophetically is with nutraceuticals like Probiotics, Prebiotics and Immunoglobulins IgY.  In resent years, research in human and veterinary medicine have proven that these nutraceuticals to be beneficial in supporting intestinal microbiomes or good bacteria.

In brief, supporting studies with nutraceuticals like Prebiotics, Probiotics and Immunoglobulins have acknowledged remarkable abilities improving the immune system, managing diarrhea associated with stress, diet changes, antibiotic/chemotherapy associate diarrhea and inflammatory bowel disease.

What exactly are Probiotics, Prebiotics and Immunoglobulins?

The FOA/WHO defines Probiotics as live microorganisms which when consumed in adequate amounts confer significant health benefit to the host.

Their mechanism of action includes competing with harmful bacteria by displacing and preventing their attachment to GI absorption sites, energizing the host immune system and stimulating antimicrobial elements that interferes with harmful bacteria growth.

Examples of Probiotics:

  • Lactobacillus acidophilus
  • Lactobacillus casei
  • Bacillus subtilis
  • Enterococcus faecium

Prebiotics are defined as a non-digestible fibers/carbohydrates that beneficially affects the host’s gastrointestinal tract. Their actions generally include selectively stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria. Some more highly specialized prebiotics such as Mannan Oligosaccharides (MOS) and Beta glucans also bind to the pili of harmful bacteria preventing their attachment to the digestive tract, they also neutralize bacteria toxins and strengthen the immune system.

Most Prebiotics are sourced from a variety of plant fibers such as grains and yeast cells. Dogs and Cats like humans are not able to convert the complex carbohydrates to smaller usable sources and so hydrolysis is needed to make these power houses more usable for the microorganisms or good bacteria of the gastrointestinal system.

Examples of Prebiotics:

  • MOS (Mannan Oligosaccharides)
  • D-Mannose
  • Beta Glucans
  • Inulin
  • FOS (Fructo Oligosaccharides)

Immunoglobulins are proteins produced by white blood cells in our body. They play a critical role in the body’s immune system. They attach to foreign substances, such as viruses and bacteria to assist in their destruction.

IgY is a natural antibody that is harvest from the egg yolk of immunized chicken with specific pathogens. By using method enormous quantities of antibodies can be produced from egg yolks. This highly specialized process can be used to target specific bacteria, viruses, parasites and toxins in the gastrointestinal, urinary and respiratory systems. IgY can be used as a therapeutically or prophylactically to treat diseases.

References:

NIH Human Microbiome Project

Understanding  the  canine  intestinal microbiota  and  its modification  by  pro-,  pre-  and synbiotics – what  is  the evidence?  Silke Schmitz * and Jan Suchodolski

The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics

IgY antibodies in human nutrition for disease prevention

Sandra Müller, Andreas Schubert, Julia Zajac, Terry Dyck, and Christopher Oelkrug.

Dr. Huey Beckham DVM

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