Yeast betaglucan: Nurturing the health and wellness of pets

Obesity in dogs and cats: A growing concern

Obesity is a complex health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of body fat. It arises from a long-term energy imbalance, where the calories consumed exceed the calories expended. Chronic low-grade inflammation is a hallmark of obesity, impacting various organs and contributing to associated health risks. 

The 2022 Pet Obesity Prevalence Survey revealed concerning numbers: 59% of dogs and 61% of cats are classified as overweight or obese. These percentages have increased from previous years, emphasizing the urgency of addressing pet obesity. However, many pet owners fail to recognize excess weight in their furry companions, highlighting the need for awareness and education. 

Pet food industry experts have been searching for novel ingredients that might be used to provide better and more balanced nourishment for dogs and cats, aiming to combat pet obesity.

Factors influencing pet obesity

The factors influencing pet obesity are well-known: dietary habits, lack of exercise, breed, genetics, age, and neutering. However, the interaction between pets and humans may have brought a huge challenge considering overweight and obesity. 

Human choices intensively affect pets’ health, as pets’ lifestyles are often mirrored by human habits: sedentary behavior, lack of exercise, urbanization, humanization, and not enough outdoor activities. Additionally, humans often believe that overfeeding their pets is a way to show love, but most pet owners do not realize the impact of their actions.

Overweight and obesity frequently come with several other disorders like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Additionally, excess weight strains joints, causing pain and reducing mobility, leading to joint problems. The affected pets suffer from decreased energy levels, impaired playfulness, and diminished overall well-being. 

In most cases, there are no hidden secrets to avoiding or combating pet obesity; there must be a balance between energy intake and expenditure, with the best combination being regular exercise and proper diet management.

Proper dietary management and consistent monitoring at each stage of an animal’s life are crucial in preventing excess weight and obesity. It’s not just about regulating food portions; selecting the appropriate ingredients for pet food formulations is also vital for the health of both pets and their human companions.

Yeast betaglucan supports overall well-being

Betaglucan is a natural polysaccharide found in the cell walls of yeasts, some bacteria, fungi (including mushrooms), seaweeds, and cereals like oats. Polysaccharides are large molecules composed of many smaller monosaccharides, such as glucose.

Polysaccharides can serve different functions, such as energy storage, cellular messaging, or providing support to cells and tissues, depending on their structure and composition. They are an important class of biomolecules, serving as a key source of energy in animal cells and forming a structural component of plant and yeast cells.

Yeast betaglucans are polysaccharides extracted from yeast cell walls and have been recognized for their potential health benefits in humans and animals, including:

• Immune system support
• Blood sugar regulation
• Cholesterol management
• Skin health

Yeast betaglucan is recognized for its significant immunomodulatory effects. It acts as a potent modulator of the immune system, enhancing the body’s defense mechanisms against various pathogens. 

Betaglucans are known to stimulate phagocytosis and promote the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are crucial in the body’s response to infections. 

Conversely, they can also induce the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines to restore homeostasis following an immune response. This dual action helps train the immune system to act more efficiently, rather than merely boosting it.

Impact on inflammation, insulin resistance and other benefits

Obesity causes chronic low-grade inflammation because adipocytes are metabolically active and produce inflammatory cytokines. Yeast betaglucan helps modulate this inflammatory condition, as shown in a study by Ferreira et al. (2022). 

The study evaluated the beneficial effects of MacroGard, a purified yeast beta-glucan, in obese dogs with insulin resistance. After 90 days of consuming a betaglucan-added diet, the biomarker of inflammation TNF-α was significantly reduced from 4.09 ± 1.18 pg/mL to 0.9 ± 0.49 pg/mL.

Several scientific publications highlight MacroGard’s benefits in reducing inflammation through immune system modulation. Studies with dogs and cats have evaluated MacroGard added to extruded food, biscuits, or given via capsules, demonstrating its effects on atopy (Beynen et al., 2011), osteoarticular problems (Beynen & Legerstee, 2010), and oral health (Verbrugghe et al., 2012).

Other studies have shown its role in reducing inflammatory response (Oliveira et al., 2019; Vetvicka & Oliveira, 2014; Zaine, 2014; Verbrugghe et al., 2012; Zaine, 2010) and improving the phagocytic activity of neutrophils and monocytes (Vetvicka & Oliveira, 2014; Zaine, 2014).

Another interesting scientific publication involving MacroGard, an experiment conducted on rats with diabetes and periodontal diseases, showed that betaglucan has protective properties against alveolar bone loss by controlling gene expression related to inflammation (Azzi et al., 2021). 

Similar results were found by Verbrugghe et al. (2012), where cats with periodontal disease received a MacroGard-enriched snack, leading to reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression and decreased alveolar bone loss.

Inflammation plays a crucial role in obesity-related metabolic dysfunction, including insulin resistance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. These findings on MacroGard’s effects in modulating inflammation through gene expression confirm the potential benefits of adding yeast betaglucan to specific diets, such as low-calorie diets for weight loss management or diets for breeds prone to weight gain. Pet nutritionists should consider using such additive ingredients strategically when formulating pet food.

Obesity can lead to insulin resistance, where the body’s cells do not respond properly to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood glucose levels and helps glucose enter cells for energy. This resistance can result in elevated blood glucose and potentially diabetes. 

Vetvicka and Oliveira (2014) studied yeast betaglucan’s effects on glucose metabolism in dogs and found that while it had no impact on blood glucose levels in healthy dogs, it significantly reduced glucose levels in dogs with experimentally-induced hyperglycemia after just 7 days of feeding, bringing their sugar levels back to normal.

The inclusion of betaglucans in pet food shows promise for preventing and managing obesity in animals. By addressing diet and lifestyle with beneficial ingredients, pets’ health and well-being can be improved.

Ferreira et al. (2022) demonstrated that betaglucan benefits obese dogs with insulin resistance by enhancing glucose and lipid metabolism. Adding 0.1% purified betaglucan to dog food reduced basal glycemic values, lowered serum cholesterol and triglycerides, and increased the appetite-regulating hormone GLP-1.

Azzi et al. (2021) observed a significant decrease in blood glucose levels in diabetic rats given a 40 mg/kg dose of betaglucan, attributing this effect to a gelatinous layer formed in the intestine that reduces carbohydrate and betaglucan absorption. 

While the specific mechanisms of betaglucan’s impact on glucose metabolism in dogs and cats remain less explored, research in other species indicates it affects several glucose-lowering mechanisms. 

These include inhibiting the glucose-sodium transporter (SGLT-1) in the intestinal mucosa, reducing intestinal disaccharidase activity, enhancing succinate dehydrogenase activity, and modulating the intestinal microbiota.

Strategic use of yeast betaglucan in pet food formulations

Satiety is crucial for both pets and their owners. Ferreira et al. (2022) found that betaglucan supplementation increased GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) levels. GLP-1 is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels and body weight by influencing brain areas that control hunger and fullness, thereby increasing the feeling of satiety. 

Yeast betaglucan may stimulate GLP-1 secretion by interacting with L-cells in the intestinal epithelium. When betaglucan is ingested, it interacts with these cells, prompting them to secrete more GLP-1, though the exact molecular mechanisms are complex and involve various signaling pathways.

The higher GLP-1 levels observed could help manage glucose and insulin levels and might aid in appetite control, though this was not directly measured in the study. Further research is needed to fully understand how betaglucan affects weight and appetite control in dogs and cats. Nonetheless, current findings support using yeast betaglucan in pet food formulas as a strategic tool to enhance overall health and well-being throughout pets’ lives.

More research with purified yeast betaglucan added to diets for dogs and cats must be conducted to understand the mechanisms of this natural molecule and its beneficial effects on weight and appetite control. 

However, the current findings support the use of yeast betaglucan in pet food formulas, which should be used as a strategic tool to promote health and well-being for the whole life of the pets.   

The power of nature: Yeast betaglucan 

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has a long history of safe use in both human and animal nutrition. In the pet food industry, various yeast products, including brewer’s yeast and dry yeast, are commonly used to enhance flavor and protein content, and they are suitable for pets at all life stages. The extraction and purification of beta-glucan from yeast cell walls add a powerful tool to the ingredient list, which should be used thoughtfully.

Yeast-based ingredients in animal nutrition include whole yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast cell wall (which provides mannan oligosaccharides), yeast beta-glucan, and yeast extract. A deeper understanding of these yeast derivatives and their strategic inclusion in pet food formulas can significantly impact pets’ health and well-being.

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