Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we use a combination of healthy diets tailored to your pet’s needs, alongside beneficial gut-friendly herbs, and nutraceuticals. These supplementary additions often come with hosts of benefits, when used in the correct way, for a specific purpose. We often get asked about the various herbs and nutraceuticals we recommend in various blog posts and in our recipes and supplements – you can learn more about some of these here!
What Are Gut Healing Herbs?
Herbs high in mucilage are often known as the ‘gut healing herbs’. These herbs are usually considered to be a source of prebiotics – food for probiotics; however these herbs have another very important function when it comes to gut health! Mucilage is a soluble dietary fibre, which produces a mucus-like substance which lines the gut wall. When the gut wall is lined with this slimy textured substance, it forms a protective barrier to reduce the risk of further gut damage, and allow the gut to heal. Inflammation is then reduced due to lack of irritation. Mucilage has a fantastic soothing effect on the digestive tract too – those with acid reflux, or having recovered from illnesses like kennel cough which may cause throat irritation may find a powdered form best, due to the soothing effect of the mucilage in these herbs.
As an additional benefit of these popular gut healing herbs, the mucilage can increase digestive performance resulting in better stools; this is due to the mucilage adding bulk to the stool (reducing constipation), aiding water absorption, and increasing gut motility.
Some studies also suggest that mucilage rich herbs may reduce the build up of cholesterol, and aid the regulation of blood sugar levels.
Frequently used mucilage herbs include slippery elm, marshmallow root, and deglycyrrhizinated liquorice root – we will look closer at these later.
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What Are Nutraceuticals?
Nutraceuticals are components of foods that bring benefit to health. You may often come across plant based supplements for pets; these are packed full of nutraceuticals! Functional foods are also classed as nutraceuticals. Many nutraceuticals enhance basic nutrition, whereas some provide medicinal properties. Some benefits of using carefully selected nutraceuticals include improved overall health, prevention of chronic disease, increased longevity and all round structural support for the body.
The term ‘nutraceutical’ is a combination of the words ‘nutrition’ and ‘pharmaceutical’ – meaning they share the same properties as pharmaceuticals, but are acquired through nutrition
Functional herbs, antioxidants, probiotics, vitamins and minerals are all examples of the categories most commonly encountered in the world of pet nutrition. We will delve into these categories in terms of nutraceuticals later.
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When Should We Use Gut Healing Herbs and Nutraceuticals?
A question we often hear at My Pet Nutritionist, is “should we be giving any supplements?” – and our answer is always “if your pet could benefit from a carefully selected supplement, then absolutely!”. It is important not to needlessly add lots of different nutraceuticals and gut healing herbs to your dog’s diet, unless they require/could benefit from it.
When it comes to giving mucilage herbs, these can be incredibly beneficial in situations where gut damage is apparent. Situations a mucilage herb may be beneficial include:
- Allergies: due to an immune malfunction
- Intolerances: due to gut damage or leaky gut syndrome
- Following vaccines, worm or flesa treatment: these products are very damaging on the gut, so gut healing may be necessary.
- Acid reflux: soothes the digestive tract and reduces the risk of acid reflux
- Upset stomach or constipation: these herbs help to rectify loose or solid stools when needed. Great to have in the first aid cupboard!
When looking at nutraceuticals, we need to look at the symptoms your dog or cat is displaying, alongside gaining a diagnosis from your veterinarian. Some types of illnesses you may use nutraceuticals for include:
- Joint issues
- Skin issues
- Digestive issues
- Cognitive health issues (anxiety etc)
- Vision issues
As brilliant as nutraceuticals can be as part of your pet’s health regime, many do come with some contraindications with pharmaceuticals your pet may need. Contraindications are negative interactions with drugs – these interactions can often cause downregulation of the drugs themselves, leaving your pet vulnerable to disease progression. An example of this is curcumin – the active compound in turmeric. It is fantastic for joint support/arthritis, cardiovascular function, reducing inflammation, eradicating free radicals, immune support, cognitive ability and cancer prevention. The reduction in pain in those who take curcumin is vast; however some individuals may require pain pharmaceutical pain relief for their condition. Curcumin is known to downregulate the effects of some pharmaceutical analgesics, as well as various other drugs. It is always best to check with your veterinarian before starting a new nutraceutical, if your pet is on pharmaceutical drugs.
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Popular Gut Healing Herbs
The three most popular gut healing herbs can all be found inside our Gut Guardian supplement, along with probiotics and chamomile. Lets take a closer look at these mucilage herbs!
- Marshmallow Root: this is a sweet smelling and tasting herb derived from the Althaea officinalis plant. When combined with water, it immediately forms a thick, slimy substance due to it’s high mucilage content. Traditionally, marshmallow root is used in cases of digestive or respiratory issues, and also topically to soothe skin issues. As well as being high in mucilage, it also contains high amounts of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and antibacterial properties.
- slippery elm: like marshmallow root, slippery elm produces a slimy substance when combined with water. It originates from the inner bark of the slippery elm tree (Ulmus rubra), and is often used to treat digestive issues, and sore throats by lining the oesophagus.
- DGL (deglycyrrhizinated liquorice): this herb increases mucous production in the body, which helps line the stomach, reducing the risk of harm caused by acid. DGL is thought to have properties to treat ulcers too!
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Popular Nutraceuticals
There are many nutraceuticals used in the pet diet industry – far too many for us to list them all! We have selected some of the popular options to take a deeper look at in regards to what they are, what active compounds they contain, and what role they may perform in your pet’s diet!
- Glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM (methylsulfonylmethane): these nutraceuticals are commonly used for those requiring joint support, both in general, and in those suffering with osteoarthritis.
- Glucosamine is naturally found in cartilage. It’s often found in shellfish too. We would recommend using an animal based glucosamines source, as plant based options tend to be laboratory made, using corn or wheat. The main active compound in glucosamine is Glucosamine Sulfate.
- Chondroitin is naturally found in cartilage and connective tissues in animals. Cow and pig cartilage is commonly used in the pet food industry as a rich source of chondroitin. The active compound in chondroitin is Chondroitin Sulfate.
- MSM is a sulfur based compound found in small amounts in some plants and animal sources. MSM is an active compound in itself!
- Turmeric/curcumin: Turmeric is a fantastic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, with anti-cancer properties too. It is often used in the form of Golden Paste, however the active compound, curcumin, can be bought as a supplement of it’s own! The liposomal option is the most bioavailable.
- Omega 3 fatty acids: omega 3 fatty acids are a great natural anti-inflammatory, and are an ‘all rounder’ nutraceutical, benefiting various systems and parts of the body. Their sources include algae, eggs, oily fish, and many more which you can read about in our blog here.
- Probiotics: probiotics don’t necessarily have an ‘active compound’ – but they are one of the most important nutraceuticals to create a healthy gut microbiome. Providing your pet with some high quality probiotics can greatly benefit all-round health and a strong immune system. Our Gut Guardian supplement contains some very high quality strains of probiotic! Other sources of probiotics include Kefir and Sauerkraut.
- Antioxidants: antioxidants come in many forms from many sources. This category of nutraceuticals is incredibly important for a huge amount of body parts and functions, as well as aiding longevity due to their action of destroying free radicals – these are unstable oxygen molecules missing an electron which cause joint degradation, cancer, and other life shortening disease. Some examples include CoEnzymeQ10, Blueberries, Eggs, Vitamins A, C and E, Zinc, Selenium, Beta Carotenes.
- Green Tea: derived from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, green tea leaves undergo minimal processing, before being rapidly dried or steamed in order to preserve the important active compounds in the leaf. Green tea is great for cardiovascular health, as well as bringing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The active compounds in green tea are polyphenols, amino acids, and flavonoids. Aim for a de-caffeinated option for pets.
- Vitamins/Minerals: essential for all aspects of health, and found in the correct amounts in a well-balanced diet, vitamins and minerals are great examples of nutraceuticals. Each vitamin and mineral provides different health benefits, and is found in different sources.
- Botanicals: There are many botanicals known for their health benefits as nutraceuticals. We have picked a few to delve into further.
- Echinacea is a group of flowering plants that originate in North America. Typically when used in a medicinal setting, Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea angustifolia are used. These plants are used medicinally for immune support, particularly useful for respiratory conditions, as well as for their anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties. The active compounds are Alkamides, Cichoric Acid, Polysaccharides and Flavonoids.
- Ginseng is the root of a Ginseng plant, whether it’s American or Asian. It is often used for mental alertness in older pets, as well as reducing fatigue, reducing stress and supporting the immune system. The active compounds in Ginseng include Ginsenosides, Polysaccharides, Peptides and Flavonoids.
- Chamomile is fantastic to support the digestive system, as well as being used for calming/anti-anxiety purposes. It originates mainly from Europe, and is a flowered herb. The active compounds are Flavonoids, Chamazulene, Bisabolol and Farnesene.
- Ginger is an underground stem, and is renowned for it’s uses to reduce nausea, aid digestion, support immune function and reduce inflammation. It can also aid pain reduction. The active compounds in ginger are Gingerol, Shogaol, and Zingerone.
- Ashwagandha, Valerian, and Skullcap are all nutraceuticals used for calming/anti-anxiety in pets. The active compounds in Ashwagandha are Withanolides, Alkaloids and Saponins. The active compounds in Valerian are Valerenic Acid, Valepotriates and Flavonoids. The active compounds in Scullcap are Baicalin, Wogonin and Scutellarin.
Did you learn something new about these popular dietary additions? We encourage our readers to not only use this guide to understand what nutraceuticals may benefit their pet, but also to book a consultation with one of our team if your have any concerns with your pet’s health, or feel they could benefit from dietary supplements. Our team are here to guide you!
Team MPN x
