South Korean biotechnologists from Seoul National University have developed food supplements based on bacteria for weight loss in dogs. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Microbiology Spectrum (MBS).
According to biotechnologists, their discovery is based on examining the gut microbiome of old and young dogs. Observations have shown that the population of two types of lactic acid bacteria decreases with age in four-legged pets: Bifidobacterium and Enterococcus.
Scientists injected strains of these microorganisms into a group of beagle dogs and put them on a high-fat diet. Despite the fatty foods, the animals continued to lose weight due to increased energy metabolism.
Professor Yunhoon Kim, lead author of the study, stated that the results of the experiment confirmed a shift in the body’s metabolic orientation towards fat consumption rather than accumulation.
Researchers emphasized that the metabolic changes caused by bacteria are not temporary. Beneficial microbes are preserved in animals’ bodies.
Professor Kim added that their discovery highlights the need to create new probiotics to improve the health of pets and humans.
Previous scientists provenDrugs containing beneficial bacteria protect the intestines from cancer.