The Use of Nutraceuticals and Dietary
Supplements for
Joint Support and Health in Cats and
Dogs
Presented to: Dr. Meg Smart, Small
Animal Nutrition Elective
By: Karen Choptain
Introduction
The use of
nutraceuticals and dietary supplements, either in manufactured pet foods or as
adjuncts to diet, are not necessarily new to the domestic animal world. There
have, however, been more recent use of advertisements and promotions of diets
and supplements being sold that tout the benefit of such products to aid in the
area of joint health and stabilization.
These products have become quite popular with the public, as they allow
for adjunctive therapy or alternative therapy in cats and dogs that suffer from
osteoarthritis (OA) or degenerative joint disease (DJD) (1).
What is a
nutraceutical? A nutraceutical, as
defined by the North American Veterinary Nutraceutical Council, is “a nondrug
substance that is produced in a purified or extracted form, administered orally,
to provide compounds required for normal body structure and function with the
intent of improving health and well-being” (1,2). More specifically, a
nutraceutical used in the aspect of joint support can be referred to as a
chondroprotectant. This term has been
applied to substances such as glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, combination
products of the two, New Zealand green-lipped mussels (GLM), omega-3 fatty
acids, anti-oxidants such as Vitamin C and Vitamin E and other dietary
compounds such as P54FP, Avocado/soybean oils, Boron, Boswellia Resin, Cat’s
Claw, Creatine, and Special milk protein concentrate (3). Chondroprotectant agents base their purpose
on providing the following three primary effects: 1) to support or enhance
metabolism of chondrocytes and synoviocytes, 2) inhibit degradative enzymes
within synovial fluid and cartilage matrix, and 3) inhibit formation of thrombi
in small blood vessels supplying the joint (1).
In humans,
the use of dietary supplements is regulated under the Dietary Supplements
Health and Education Act (1). This is in order to allow consumers the
opportunity to purchase a variety of products that are marketed for joint
health and support. The products
themselves must be safe; however, they do not have to achieve pre market
approval, in contrast to pharmaceuticals or “drugs”. The aforementioned act does not apply to
dietary supplements in the veterinary market. While the Canadian Veterinary
Medical Association withholds the right to remove products from the market,
providing the product is safe and does not pose a threat to human safety it may
be sold (1). The product also may not advertise claims such as being used to
treat, cure, prevent or mitigate a disease (1).
In addition,
label claims and quality control of these products has been documented (1, 4,
5). Due to the lack of quality assurance, the consumer cannot be guaranteed
that the product itself is of the concentration listed on the label or of its
purity (1). A large variety of products
are available to consumers. Despite the
number of products, there is a drastic lack of scientific evidence that
promotes any of these products over the other.
This paper serves to provide some clarity to the commercial foods and
supplements that are available to consumers and critically evaluate their
efficacy for the use of joint support and health in cats and dogs.
