DONGEN, THE NETHERLANDS — The results of study performed by the Federal University of Paraiba, Brazil, showed that the inclusion of ProteinX — Protix’s black soldier fly (BSF) protein — can improve the skin barrier and strengthen antioxidant defenses in dogs. The findings were published in Archives of Animal Nutrition.
During the study, eight healthy beagles were fed a diet containing ProteinX over a period of 50 days. They were then given a controlled diet based on poultry byproduct with a similar nutritional profile for another 50-day period.
The skin barrier function and integrity were measured at the dogs’ pinna and belly on days 0, 15, 30 and 45 of each period. This was done by evaluating transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and stratum corneum hydration (SCH), two aspects of skin physiology. According to Protix, these parameters respectively quantify stratum corneum layer.
There was a noted improvement in skin barrier function when the canines consumed the ProteinX-based diet. TEWL decreased at both the pinna and belly, indicating improved water retention. There was also a significant increase in stratum corneum hydration at the belly (the outermost layer of the skin serving as the primary barrier between the body and the environment), suggesting enhanced skin hydration, according to Protix. The company also noted that ProteinX contains relatively high concentrations of lauric acid and linoleic acid, which may account for the improvements in skin barrier function and water retention.
To detect improvement in antioxidant defenses, serum samples were collected at the start and at the end of both feeding periods and underwent hematology and biochemistry analysis to assess oxidative stress biomarkers.
Damaged cellular lipids produce malondialdehyde (MDA), a cytotoxic and harmful agent, were used as a biomarker of oxidative stress at the beginning and the end of the study (where higher levels suggest more oxidative damage) and showed a trend towards reduced malondialdehyde serum levels. Another biomarker of oxidative stress measured at days 0 and 50 of the study was vitamin E in the bloodstream, where higher levels indicate better antioxidant protection. The study showed a trend for higher serum vitamin E levels after 50 days of diet consumption.
Based on these measures, the dogs involved in the study were shown to derive antioxidant benefits when fed the ProteinX diet.
Also important to note, the dogs found the insect diet palatable, with no refusals or adverse responses, according to Protix.
Read the full study here.
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