Chondroitin: its benefits!

If you pay close attention to the ingredients in your treats or any food manufactured for cats and dogs, you've probably noticed the appearance of this word: chondroitin! It's present in many pet food products. But what is its purpose?

History of chondroitin

Chondroitin has a relatively recent history. Its discovery was only revealed in 1960, the year it was first isolated in the laboratory. It has now been used in veterinary medicine for over 20 years throughout Europe. In 1997, J. Theodosakis published a book on the treatment of arthritis (The Arthritis Cure). It was thanks to this book that chondroitin finally became popular, as its author stated that cartilage could be regenerated with this compound. Since then, many other studies have been conducted to confirm its effectiveness. Some studies even claim that chondroitin has a preventative effect on the joints of humans, dogs, and cats.

What is chondroitin?

Chondroitin is actually an essential component of cartilage. It is therefore present in humans, as well as in dogs, cats, and all vertebrates. This component is naturally produced by the body since it is essential for the organism. Indeed, you can find chondroitin in bones, but also in the cornea, skin, and arterial membranes of animals.

What is its purpose?

Chondroitin plays a vital role! It ensures that cartilage tissue can form and maintain itself. To achieve this, chondroitin regulates water retention in the cartilage. This helps maintain the cartilage's strength, flexibility, and elasticity. This is essential for preserving joint flexibility. However, these are not the only benefits chondroitin provides.

What is cartilage?

Cartilage is the connective tissue that forms the skeletal framework of all vertebrates. It also acts as a kind of spongy cushion for all the moving joints of your dog or cat. Cartilage is composed of three fundamental elements:

• the fibers

• cells called chondrocytes

• the ground substance that fills the spaces between cells and helps to retain the cartilage fibers.

In cartilage, the naturally produced chondroitin decreases over the years. The cartilage then changes, thins, and loses its elasticity. This change can cause tears if the pressure exerted on the joint is too great. It is during this aging process that joints ossify and calcify, as chondroitin production drops significantly. It is therefore necessary to help the body combat this phenomenon.

The benefits of chondroitin

This natural component, which is often commercially derived from beef cartilage or, more rarely, pork cartilage, has other virtues. Indeed, its reputation attributes to it other benefits, including:

• It helps to relieve pain from osteoarthritis, as well as slow the progression of the disease.
• It helps slow down the degeneration of all joint tissues.
• It prevents the loss of bone tissue.
• inhibits and slows down the enzyme that destroys cartilage
• It allows the formation of synovial fluid (which lubricates the joints, absorbs shocks, and provides oxygen and nutrients).

Natural chondroitin can therefore support both cats and dogs in their daily lives by helping and relieving joint pain, primarily during growth and also in old age. It is also beneficial for promoting mobility in athletic dogs.

Quick Focus: What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is the abnormal wear and tear of cartilage and joints. It is an inflammatory disease, not mechanical wear and tear, although the latter certainly doesn't help. The chronic inflammation affecting the cartilage and joints is a normal response of the body when it feels threatened. The specialized cartilage cells, called chondrocytes, become overstimulated by this threat, which often stems from excessive pressure related to being overweight, trauma, or hereditary factors. In short, it is premature or accelerated aging of the cartilage. This can cause chronic pain in your cat or dog, so it's essential to provide as much relief as possible. To alleviate the animal's suffering, its diet may need to be supplemented with medication or natural dietary supplements containing chondroitin.

Dietary supplements

To help your cat or dog prevent or relieve these joint problems, simply use dietary supplements and give them a dosage adapted to the animal. The BIOFOOD range offers, in particular:

• Flexibility Herbs : for dogs and cats of all ages. This powder, composed of naturally derived ingredients including chondroitin, is a perfect dietary supplement. It helps support joints and contributes to good mobility in animals. It can be used with kibble, wet food, or even a BARF diet.
• Flexibility dog ​​treats : here, chondroitin is combined with sheep fat and salmon oil. It's very palatable for dogs and a very easy treat to give, even to picky eaters. This range helps support the dog's joints and muscles.

The advantage of these natural aids, such as chondroitin, is that they are not addictive and are not harmful to the health of the animal that ingests them. The dosage is clearly indicated on the product packaging and is also available in our online store.