Most people know how important vitamins and minerals are for health. You have certainly also heard about the health-promoting effects of essential fatty acids. But in addition to these classic nutrients, there are also other special ingredients whose use in feed supplements makes sense. Positive effects are often described both in our pets and in humans.
One of these exciting cases is the New Zealand green-lipped mussel. Researchers discovered decades ago that the Maori on the coasts of New Zealand still had healthy joints even in old age. Since this did not apply to the indigenous people who lived in the interior of the country, the diet of the Maori asinvestigated. In the process, they came across the mussel, which looks a bit like our native blue mussel, but has a green shell that gives it its name. Eating the mussel meat provides the joints with nutrients that optimally support their functions.
The mode of action of native collagen II is also interesting. There are different types of collagen, of which type Il occurs naturally in the joint cartilage. In the case of cartilage damage, the immune system reacts to the released collagen and triggers an inflammation in the joint. However, if the body is regularly given the collagen orally, the immune system "learns" that the substance is "normal". As a result, the inflammation does not occur. To bring about this process of oral tolerance formation, a small amount of native collagen Il daily is sufficient.
Other natural components of articular cartilage are glucosamine and chondroitin. For use in supplementary feeds, glucosamine is mainly obtained from crustaceans.
The situation is similar with chondroitin. Chondroitin sulphate, which is ingested via supplementary feed, is mainly obtained from the cartilage tissue of cattle or pigs. Both substances are important components of healthy cartilage substance and are responsible for elasticity and shock absorption. A combination of the two cartilage substances chondroitin and glucosamine is helpful as a supplement to the diet.
All these raw materials are naturally rich in nutrients as well as active components. It has been known for many years that they have a health-promoting effect in humans and animals. That is why we have combined these special ingredients with other nutrients to offer effective dietetic complementary feed for dogs and cats as well.