Natural Starch Blockers in Canine Weight Loss
Veterinarians: Curtis Willauer, D.V.M, Barbara Ota, M.S.
Scientific Protocols by: Steven Rosenblatt, Ph.D., M.D.
The alarming increase in overweight and obesity among companion animals mirrors that of their human owners and poses a serious health threat to their health and well-being. We knew of the successful use of starch blockers to help with human weight loss and felt that this could be used for dogs as well, but knew we would need to create a study to prove this.
Our study was designed to test the effectiveness of a starch blocker designed to prevent the breakdown of starch in food and its subsequent conversion to fat. The product tested was VetSlim™ containing Phase 2™, a new patented starch blocker by Pharmachem.
We recruited twenty dogs of several breeds and ages from two veterinary clinics in Hawaii, and ran separate studies at each clinic. Dogs were given before and after blood and stool testing. Their owners were instructed to spinkle the VetSlim™ product on the food at the beginning of each meal. No other changes in the animal's program was to be included. There was no change in food type or amount and no change in exercise level.
Out of the initial 20 dogs, three dropped out due to travel and time problems. Of the 17 dogs who completed the 8 week study, 15 (88%) lost weight while taking the tested product. This is highly significant at p>.01. The average weight loss for the dogs who lost weight was 3.01 pounds which represents an average weight loss of 4.61% of body weight for each dog.
Measurement of abdominal girth showed that no dogs in the study gained size. Of the 15 dogs who lost weight, 13 also lost abdominal inches. The average abdominal girth was 1.6 inches. No side effects were noted and the blood and stool tests performed before and after indicated no systematic changes.
As this study is the first to investigate the use of starch blockers for canine weight loss, the results indicate that it warrants further investigation and consideration as a useful tool in combating the growing problem of canine obesity. Read About Our Doctors