ADM has announced promising results from a clinical study investigating the metabolic health effects of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CECT 8145 (PRIOME Metabolic Health or PRIOME MH) in adult dogs. The study demonstrated significant reductions in postprandial blood glucose levels when dogs received the postbiotic form compared to placebo controls during the weight loss phase.
Clinical Trial Design and Methodology
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study enrolled 45 healthy adult dogs divided into three groups of 15 animals each. Participants received daily supplementation with either 5 billion CFU of live PRIOME MH probiotic, 5 billion CFU of heat-treated PRIOME MH postbiotic, or placebo alongside a standard kibble diet.
The study consisted of two distinct phases: a weight gain phase where dogs received 200% of their maintenance energy requirements, followed by a weight loss phase where overweight dogs were fed 100% of maintenance requirements for their ideal weight. Researchers measured body weight, body composition, blood glucose, food intake, and gastrointestinal hormones throughout both phases.
Key Metabolic Health Findings
The most significant finding emerged during the weight loss phase, where dogs receiving the postbiotic form showed substantially lower postprandial blood glucose levels after consuming normal kibble meals compared to placebo controls. This suggests the strain's potential role in supporting metabolic regulation during weight management.
Additional positive outcomes included lower blood levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) during the weight gain phase compared to placebo. GGT serves as a biochemical marker of liver function that typically increases in obese dogs, indicating improved hepatic health with supplementation.
The study also evaluated metabolic hormones including GLP-1 and glucagon, revealing differences between male and female dogs in their responses to supplementation.
Postbiotic Advantages in Pet Nutrition
"These results mark an important step in advancing our understanding of the potential for postbiotics in metabolic health for pets, a health area that historically has been underserved by biotic ingredients," said Sophie Nixon, Ph.D., Head of R&D Clinical Research for Pet & Animal Wellbeing at ADM, who oversaw the trial.
The heat-treated postbiotic form offers significant manufacturing advantages over live probiotics in pet food production. Extreme heat from extrusion and baking processes commonly used in pet food manufacturing can diminish the efficacy of live probiotics. As inanimate microorganisms, postbiotics can maintain their beneficial properties despite these challenging processing conditions.
Expanding Research Portfolio
This metabolic health study builds upon ADM's previously published research in the Journal of Animal Science, which examined the same strain's effects on gut health in adult dogs. That earlier study involving 36 beagles and English pointers demonstrated improvements in fecal short-chain fatty acids and beneficial changes in microbiome composition over a 90-day supplementation period.
"Although postbiotics have long been recognised for their role in gut health, postbiotics such as our strain PRIOME MH are emerging as innovative tools to support metabolic function and overall well-being in companion animals," said Peter Jüsten, Global Vice President, R&D Health & Wellness at ADM.
Market Context and Future Implications
According to ADM's global consumer research, 55% of U.S. pet owners have purchased biotics at least once annually based on professional recommendations, primarily to address digestive or gastrointestinal concerns. The growing interest in functional ingredients reflects pet owners' increasing focus on their animals' health and wellness.
The research contributes to an expanding body of evidence supporting postbiotics in pet health applications, potentially opening new avenues for functional pet nutrition products. ADM reports that additional clinical studies are ongoing to assess further physiological outcomes with continued focus on metabolic health applications.
