Skin & Fur

Hydrolysed collagen Naticol®

Collagen is a protein that is the main component of the intercellular substance. It is found throughout the body, particularly in the skin, tendons, bones, blood vessels and cartilage. It is responsible for the elasticity of tissues, their regeneration and their resistance to stretching. Hydrolysed collagen consists of low molecular weight peptides, which allows it to be absorbed and used by the body. It provides a source of amino acids necessary for the body to synthesise collagen.

Collagen supplementation has been shown to increase collagen concentrations in skin and joint cartilage (1). Human studies show that taking supplements containing hydrolysed collagen significantly increases skin hydration, the density of collagen fibres in the skin and reduces signs of skin ageing (2). It is also believed that collagen supplementation can alleviate the symptoms of atopic dermatitis by increasing hydration and accelerating the healing of damaged epidermis (3).

Naticol® is one of the leading branded collagen hydrolysates available on the market, containing collagen peptides extracted in Europe from high quality fish skins by enzymatic hydrolysis to achieve the required molecular weight. It mainly contains type I and III collagen including dipeptides and tripeptides.

Human and animal studies show that Naticol® has a positive effect on skin health – it can delay skin ageing (4) by stimulating the body to produce collagen and increasing skin tone and elasticity. It also supports the functioning of the musculoskeletal system (5) by providing the building blocks for the collagen that forms joint structures and serves as a source of essential amino acids to support the maintenance of normal muscle mass.

Fish oil with omega-3

Fish oil is a source of unsaturated fatty acids of the omega-3 family: EPA and DHA, whose positive effects on the health of dogs and humans have been proven by numerous scientific studies (1, 2). Fatty acid supplementation may prove helpful in problems such as food and flea venom allergies, hypothyroidism, atopic dermatitis and epidermal keratinisation disorders (3).

It has been shown that feeding fish oil to dogs for 6 weeks can reduce skin inflammation and pruritus, reduce hair loss and significantly improve coat quality (4). Also, increasing omega-3 fatty acids in the diet of dogs suffering from atopic dermatitis and food allergies has been shown to significantly alleviate dermatological disorders (5). It has also been shown that a diet containing elevated levels of EPA and DHA reduces the concentration of pro-inflammatory factors in the body of dogs and can provide effective support for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases (6).

L-methionine and L-cysteine

Sulphur amino acids, including methionine and cysteine, are essential for healthy skin and normal hair growth. They are involved not only in the formation of hair structure and hair growth, but also in the production of melanin, which is responsible for the pigmentation of the coat. In addition, methionine is necessary for the production of collagen and keratin, which are responsible for maintaining the structure of the skin (1).

The dog’s body cannot synthesise methionine and cysteine (made up of two cysteine molecules) on its own, so they must be supplied to the animal with the diet (2). Their deficiency can lead to skin inflammation, skin thinning and loss of elasticity (3).

Biotin and B vitamins

B vitamins are involved in many metabolic processes and play a special role in the normal functioning of the skin. Their deficiency can manifest itself through loss and greasiness of the coat, the formation of scales on the skin and dry dandruff (1).

Human and animal studies show that supplementation with B vitamins can support the treatment of various dermatological disorders, including atopic dermatitis, positively influence the function of keranocytes and fibroblasts present in the skin (2), and promote proper healing of skin injuries. B vitamins may also stimulate processes responsible for DNA repair and thus reduce the risk of skin cancer (3).

Among the B vitamins, biotin (vitamin B7) deserves special attention, as it is essential for the normal growth of skin creations, and its deficiency can cause disturbances in the metabolism of fatty acids present in the skin and contribute to zinc deficiency (4). Dogs suffering from inflammatory skin conditions have been shown to have low blood levels of biotin (5), and supplementation with this vitamin can significantly alleviate symptoms such as dry and brittle coat, alopecia, dry skin and pruritus (6).

Zinc

Zinc plays a special role in maintaining healthy skin. It is essential for a number of processes crucial for rapidly dividing cells in the epidermis (1) and is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids with anti-inflammatory properties (2).

Zinc deficiency manifests itself primarily through skin dysfunction – impaired wound healing, excessive skin flaking, the formation of thickened skin around elbow and ankle joints exposed to high pressure at rest, and an increased risk of bacterial and fungal infections (3).

The administration of supplements containing zinc, biotin, EPA and DHA to dogs with atopic dermatitis has been shown to significantly reduce the symptoms of the disease, and the presence of zinc in such formulations may increase the effectiveness of the other active substances (4). In Skin & Fur, zinc diglycinate was used, as studies show that amino acid chelates of this mineral have the highest absorption rate of all forms of zinc (5).