Oxidation is the common cause of cellular damage and aging. Over time, metabolic byproducts build up in your dog. These substances are called reactive oxygen species … or free radicals. Free radicals accumulate in your dog’s cells and organs.
And free radicals damage your dog’s cells. In fact, they’re the main cause of aging and degenerative diseases.
The damage free radicals cause to the body is called oxidative stress. When free radicals build up in large amounts, they harm the cell membranes and even DNA. This leads to age-related diseases such as diabetes, arthritis and kidney disease.
And the damage to DNA leads to cell mutations and cancer.
Free radicals aren’t only a byproduct of metabolism. They can also build up when your dog is exposed to toxins, pollution, chemicals and drugs. The foods your dog eats can also generate free radicals. The main offenders include foods containing preservatives, starches and rancid fats.
The biggest problem with free radicals is that they’re thieves. They steal electrons from neighboring molecules. When an electron is stolen from a molecule, it’s called “oxidation.” And if the oxidized molecules don’t find a new electron, they become new free radicals.
The result is a cascade of free radicals. Billions of new free radicals can react every second. And if left unchecked, free radicals build up quickly in the body … like a toxic rust.
This oxidative damage leads to severe diseases developing in dogs. This is especially true for older dogs … who are more vulnerable to the effects of oxidative stress.
To make matters worse, your dog’s immune system has no protection against free radicals. The only way to control them is through your dog’s diet.
Antioxidants are molecules from foods that can help stop free radical cascades … and the oxidative stress they cause. Antioxidants are only found in plants … they don’t come from animal sources.
And the best source of antioxidants is fruits and especially berries.
But blueberries contain a large amount of a special antioxidant that’s not found in many other foods.
Since the 90’s, blueberries have been extensively researched. Unlike many other superfoods, scientists have done studies in dogs.
Researchers in Italy divided service dogs into two groups. Both groups ate kibble … but they gave one group of dogs blueberries and other berries. After 18 weeks the dogs eating blueberries had lower markers of oxidative stress. There was also a significant reduction of oxidative stress.
A second study compared the antioxidant levels in sled dogs. The scientists found that dogs eating blueberries were much better protected against oxidative damage than the control group.
Most of these benefits are due to blueberries’ polyphenol content. Polyphenols are naturally occurring phytochemicals that are powerful antioxidants.
And blueberries are a more potent source of antioxidants than any other fruit.
Blueberries can also inhibit tumor growth, prevent mutations, lower blood sugar and decrease chronic inflammation. A study on older humans showed that eating 2 cups of blueberries a day improved mobility. In other trials, people who drank blueberry juice had lower blood sugar levels.
Blueberries are also nutritious. They’re rich in vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as trace minerals.
But these aren’t the only health benefits of blueberries. They have a very distinctive claim to fame …
The brain uses more oxygen than other body tissue. This makes the brain and nervous system extremely vulnerable to oxidative stress. If your dog suffers from senility or neurodegenerative disorders … it’s mainly caused by free radical damage.
The interesting thing about blueberries is this … they contain a special antioxidant that can cross the blood-brain barrier.
Researchers at Tufts University in Boston fed rats blueberries for two months. The rats eating blueberries performed better at memory and maze tests than the control group.
When the researchers looked at the rats’ brains, they found blueberry pigments there. Spread throughout the brain were little antioxidants from blueberries called anthocyanins.
Anthocyanins are the phytochemicals that give blueberries their blue-red color. They also help give blueberries their potent antioxidant properties.
Although they carry other health benefits … anthocyanins are the blueberry’s very best superpower. Blueberries contain more anthocyanins than any other food.
This has driven a lot of blueberry research in the last 20 years. Human studies show children do better on cognitive tests after eating blueberries. They show “dietary blueberry” improves cognition in older humans. Another study showed that mice eating blueberries were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. And one showed pro-inflammatory genes in aged rats were reduced to the levels of young rats.
Blueberries aren’t your ordinary, run of the mill antioxidant … they’re a clinically proven dietary supplement.
And if your dog doesn’t get this supplement in his diet, he’s missing out.
Published by: Dana Scott