by Dr Sophie Nixon, Head of R&D Clinical Research – Pet & Animal Wellbeing, ADM, UK
As the petfood industry advances toward science-driven nutrition, metabolic health is emerging as a key concept in canine care. Beyond weight control, it reflects the interplay of energy balance, glucose regulation, liver function and inflammation—all influencing long-term well-being.
With over half of UK dogs overweight or obese and similar patterns across North America, Latin America and Europe, focus is shifting from managing excess weight to supporting balanced metabolism and addressing its underlying causes. This mirrors human health trends, where obesity is viewed as a chronic metabolic disorder rather than a simple calorie imbalance. For formulators and manufacturers, this shift offers new opportunities to develop diets and functional ingredients that promote metabolic resilience and healthy ageing.
From weight control to metabolic health
Historically, canine obesity management has focused on reducing calories and increasing activity. While essential, these measures often overlook physiological changes that accompany excess weight, including insulin resistance, hormonal imbalance and low-grade inflammation. Such effects can persist after weight loss, compromising long-term health and increasing risks of diabetes, hepatic lipidosis and osteoarthritis.
Recognising obesity as a metabolic disorder is reshaping proactive care. In dogs, repeated glucose spikes—especially in older or overweight animals—can impair insulin sensitivity and trigger inflammation that disrupts normal metabolism. Over time, these processes alter energy use, appetite control and even behaviour.
Supporting metabolic health therefore means going beyond calorie restriction to stabilize blood glucose, optimise gut hormone signalling and maintain liver balance. This holistic approach aligns with the proactive care pet owners increasingly seek: 83 percent of UK dog owners express interest in products that could extend their pets’ lifespan, and nearly four in five globally would invest in preventive solutions to reduce future health costs.
For the petfood industry, this awareness opens opportunities to deliver targeted nutrition that helps sustain metabolic balance before health issues arise.
Understanding metabolic health in dogs
Metabolic health refers to the body’s ability to efficiently convert food into energy, regulate blood sugar, and manage fat storage without excessive inflammation or oxidative stress. In dogs, metabolic status is primarily evaluated through markers such as postprandial glucose and insulin sensitivity, with emerging interest in additional indicators of liver and gut function.
The gut microbiome also plays a crucial role. A balanced microbial community supports nutrient absorption, modulates immune responses, and influences the release of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that affect glucose metabolism and appetite regulation. Disruptions in the microbiome—often linked to poor diet quality or obesity—can exacerbate metabolic dysfunction.
These insights highlight the importance of formulating diets and supplements that not only meet nutritional requirements but also actively influence metabolic pathways. Functional ingredients such as probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics are gaining attention for their ability to modulate gut health and, by extension, metabolic performance.
Functional ingredients and biotics: A new frontier
ADM is among the companies driving scientific exploration into how biotic ingredients can support metabolic health in companion animals. Through its global network of research and development (R&D) facilities, ADM investigates the effects of probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics on canine and feline well-being.
Traditionally, formulations for pets have relied on data extrapolated from human studies. However, species-specific research is essential to ensure safety and efficacy in dogs and cats. ADM’s approach focuses on generating direct evidence through controlled trials in companion animals.
Postbiotics—non-viable microorganisms or their components that confer health benefits—represent a particularly promising category. Unlike live probiotics, ADM postbiotics are heat-treated and inherently stable, maintaining functionality across diverse processing environments and finished formats. This makes them ideally suited for integration into petfood and supplement applications worldwide, from dry kibble and wet diets to soft chews and functional treats.
Evidence in action
ADM R&D Health & Wellness recently conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effects of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis CECT 8145 in dogs during metabolic stress. The ingredient is available as Priome® Metabolic Health (probiotic) and Priome® Metabolic Health (postbiotic).
The study involved 45 healthy adult dogs and examined how daily supplementation with either the probiotic or postbiotic form influenced key markers of metabolic health during controlled weight gain and weight loss phases. Dogs were assigned to one of three groups alongside a standard kibble diet:
- Daily supplementation with 5B CFU probiotic
- Daily supplementation with 5B HTC heat-treated postbiotic
- Daily supplementation with placebo
During the weight gain phase, dogs received double their maintenance energy requirement. This was followed by a weight loss phase in which dogs received 100 percent of the maintenance energy requirement for their ideal weight. Researchers monitored body composition, postprandial glucose, food intake and gastrointestinal hormones such as GLP-1 and glucagon.
Notably, dogs receiving the postbiotic form exhibited a significant reduction in postprandial blood glucose compared to the placebo group during the weight loss phase. This suggests the ingredient may help stabilise blood sugar and support metabolic recovery after periods of overnutrition.
Additional benefits included lower levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)—a liver enzyme often elevated in obese dogs—and changes in the profile of gut hormones associated with blood glucose control and metabolism. These findings demonstrate the potential of the postbiotic to help maintain metabolic balance and liver health, even under conditions of metabolic stress.
Accumulating evidence across species
The canine results build on a growing body of evidence from human and preclinical studies. In abdominally obese adults, daily supplementation with the same microorganism (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis CECT 8145)—particularly in its heat-treated postbiotic form—has been associated with reductions in waist circumference and improvements in adiposity markers. In children and adolescents with Prader–Willi Syndrome, a severe metabolic disorder characterised by obesity and insulin resistance, probiotic supplementation with the same strain improved insulin sensitivity and reduced abdominal fat.
Pre-clinical research has identified lipoteichoic acid, a cell wall component of B animalis subsp lactis CECT 8145, as a key effector molecule influencing the insulin/IGF-1 signalling pathway. Together, these findings provide mechanistic insight into how the ingredient may promote healthier metabolic function across species.
Implications for pet nutrition and industry innovation
The implications of these findings extend beyond individual ingredients. They signal a broader shift toward formulating pet foods and supplements that address metabolic resilience as a foundation for lifelong health.
Postbiotics offer unique advantages for manufacturers: their stability allows incorporation into diverse product formats and processing conditions without compromising efficacy. As demand grows for functional pet foods that deliver measurable health benefits, postbiotics provide a practical, evidence-based solution for supporting metabolic well-being.
ADM’s global R&D network continues to advance microbiome research through its new centre in Épalinges, Switzerland, dedicated to animal health. Studies are underway exploring microbiome-supporting solutions for oral care, balanced behaviour, skin health, gut health, mobility and immune function. These efforts aim to deliver validated, science-backed ingredients that help petfood brands meet consumer expectations for transparency, efficacy and quality.
For manufacturers and formulators worldwide, integrating clinically validated functional ingredients such as Priome® MH into petfood and supplement lines can strengthen brand credibility and align with the industry’s move toward proactive wellness.
Toward a healthier future for companion animals
Metabolic health represents a new era in proactive pet care—one that moves beyond traditional weight management to focus on supporting the biological processes that contribute to long-term well-being. By promoting balanced energy metabolism, petfood producers can help dogs and cats maintain overall health and quality of life as they age.
As research continues to reveal the interconnected roles of nutrition, microbiome function and metabolic regulation, the petfood industry stands at the forefront of innovation. Through collaborative science and evidence-based formulation, companies like ADM are helping define the future of companion animal wellness—where metabolic health is not just a goal but a standard of care.
