Effect of a weight loss diet with or without Spirulina supplementation on serum lipids and antioxidant capacity of overweight dogs
Abstract Obesity is a major health issue in dogs associated with disturbances in lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. Spirulina has been shown to have hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects in various animal species. No such data regarding dogs are available, however. The present study aimed to inv...
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Nature Portfolio
2024-11-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80843-y |
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| author | Davide Stefanutti Lorenzo Serva Michele Berlanda Federico Bonsembiante Gianfranco Gabai Erica Franceschinis Marco Cavazzoni Giada Morelli Rebecca Ricci |
| author_facet | Davide Stefanutti Lorenzo Serva Michele Berlanda Federico Bonsembiante Gianfranco Gabai Erica Franceschinis Marco Cavazzoni Giada Morelli Rebecca Ricci |
| author_sort | Davide Stefanutti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Obesity is a major health issue in dogs associated with disturbances in lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. Spirulina has been shown to have hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects in various animal species. No such data regarding dogs are available, however. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a therapeutic high-protein, high-fiber weight loss diet, with or without Spirulina supplementation, on biochemical parameters of overweight dogs, with particular reference to serum lipids and plasma antioxidant capacity. Thirty-two dogs completed a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial in which they received either Spirulina (S) or placebo (P) tablets in a body weight-dependent amount for 12 weeks; at the same time, both groups were fed the same calorie-restricted diet. Dogs were weighed weekly and calorie restriction was adjusted accordingly to ensure a 1% body weight loss per week. Blood samples were collected at baseline (T0), after 6 weeks (T1), and after 12 weeks (T2). No difference in body weight loss (S: -11.9 ± 0.8%, P: -10.6 ± 0.8%, p = 0.229) was detected between groups at T2. After 6 weeks and an average weight loss of around 6% (S: -6.7 ± 0.6%, P: -5.9 ± 0.6, p = 0.276), significant reductions of serum total cholesterol, glucose, alkaline phosphatase, paraxonase-1 (all p < 0.0001) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (p < 0.018) were observed in both groups, regardless of supplementation. Plasma antioxidant capacity increased significantly in both groups at T2 (p = 0.0003). Serum triglycerides decreased significantly from T0 to T1 in the Spirulina group (p < 0.0001) but not in the placebo group (p = 0.28); as for the difference between groups, a non-significant trend (p = 0.098) was detected. A significantly higher percentage of dogs (p = 0.028) in the Spirulina group achieved a serum triglycerides reduction > 15% compared to baseline at T1 and > 30% at T2. A treatment effect (p = 0.0416) was found for bilirubin, which decreased only in the Spirulina group. In conclusion, a weight loss of around 6% achieved with a high-protein, high-fiber hypocaloric diet is sufficient to induce significant positive metabolic effects and improve lipid, glucose, and liver enzyme values. Plasma antioxidant capacity was tested in dogs undergoing a weight loss program for the first time, demonstrating that overweight individuals are in a deficient status and that a weight loss of around 10% is able to restore values comparable to those of healthy individuals. The results of this study suggest that Spirulina may manifest a hypotriglyceridemic effect in dogs, even if further research is needed to infer causation. The role Spirulina that supplementation plays in bilirubin metabolism and its related beneficial effect is also worth exploring. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-58636fd72e7a49a193435f757ea8f3d2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-58636fd72e7a49a193435f757ea8f3d22024-12-01T12:18:59ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-11-0114111310.1038/s41598-024-80843-yEffect of a weight loss diet with or without Spirulina supplementation on serum lipids and antioxidant capacity of overweight dogsDavide Stefanutti0Lorenzo Serva1Michele Berlanda2Federico Bonsembiante3Gianfranco Gabai4Erica Franceschinis5Marco Cavazzoni6Giada Morelli7Rebecca Ricci8Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of PadovaDepartment of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of PadovaDepartment of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of PadovaDepartment of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of PadovaDepartment of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of PadovaDepartment of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of PadovaDiusa SADepartment of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of PadovaDepartment of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of PadovaAbstract Obesity is a major health issue in dogs associated with disturbances in lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. Spirulina has been shown to have hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects in various animal species. No such data regarding dogs are available, however. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a therapeutic high-protein, high-fiber weight loss diet, with or without Spirulina supplementation, on biochemical parameters of overweight dogs, with particular reference to serum lipids and plasma antioxidant capacity. Thirty-two dogs completed a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial in which they received either Spirulina (S) or placebo (P) tablets in a body weight-dependent amount for 12 weeks; at the same time, both groups were fed the same calorie-restricted diet. Dogs were weighed weekly and calorie restriction was adjusted accordingly to ensure a 1% body weight loss per week. Blood samples were collected at baseline (T0), after 6 weeks (T1), and after 12 weeks (T2). No difference in body weight loss (S: -11.9 ± 0.8%, P: -10.6 ± 0.8%, p = 0.229) was detected between groups at T2. After 6 weeks and an average weight loss of around 6% (S: -6.7 ± 0.6%, P: -5.9 ± 0.6, p = 0.276), significant reductions of serum total cholesterol, glucose, alkaline phosphatase, paraxonase-1 (all p < 0.0001) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (p < 0.018) were observed in both groups, regardless of supplementation. Plasma antioxidant capacity increased significantly in both groups at T2 (p = 0.0003). Serum triglycerides decreased significantly from T0 to T1 in the Spirulina group (p < 0.0001) but not in the placebo group (p = 0.28); as for the difference between groups, a non-significant trend (p = 0.098) was detected. A significantly higher percentage of dogs (p = 0.028) in the Spirulina group achieved a serum triglycerides reduction > 15% compared to baseline at T1 and > 30% at T2. A treatment effect (p = 0.0416) was found for bilirubin, which decreased only in the Spirulina group. In conclusion, a weight loss of around 6% achieved with a high-protein, high-fiber hypocaloric diet is sufficient to induce significant positive metabolic effects and improve lipid, glucose, and liver enzyme values. Plasma antioxidant capacity was tested in dogs undergoing a weight loss program for the first time, demonstrating that overweight individuals are in a deficient status and that a weight loss of around 10% is able to restore values comparable to those of healthy individuals. The results of this study suggest that Spirulina may manifest a hypotriglyceridemic effect in dogs, even if further research is needed to infer causation. The role Spirulina that supplementation plays in bilirubin metabolism and its related beneficial effect is also worth exploring.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80843-y |
| spellingShingle | Davide Stefanutti Lorenzo Serva Michele Berlanda Federico Bonsembiante Gianfranco Gabai Erica Franceschinis Marco Cavazzoni Giada Morelli Rebecca Ricci Effect of a weight loss diet with or without Spirulina supplementation on serum lipids and antioxidant capacity of overweight dogs Scientific Reports |
| title | Effect of a weight loss diet with or without Spirulina supplementation on serum lipids and antioxidant capacity of overweight dogs |
| title_full | Effect of a weight loss diet with or without Spirulina supplementation on serum lipids and antioxidant capacity of overweight dogs |
| title_fullStr | Effect of a weight loss diet with or without Spirulina supplementation on serum lipids and antioxidant capacity of overweight dogs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of a weight loss diet with or without Spirulina supplementation on serum lipids and antioxidant capacity of overweight dogs |
| title_short | Effect of a weight loss diet with or without Spirulina supplementation on serum lipids and antioxidant capacity of overweight dogs |
| title_sort | effect of a weight loss diet with or without spirulina supplementation on serum lipids and antioxidant capacity of overweight dogs |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80843-y |
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