A nutritional composition for improving joint health in senior pets and methods of making

Abstract

This invention discloses a nutritional composition and preparation method for improving joint health in senior pets. The nutritional composition comprises: N-acetylglucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, methanesulfonylmethane, unsaponifiable avocado and soybean extract, hyaluronic acid, curcumin microcapsule powder, and high-concentration fish oil. This invention uses a lipid / polysaccharide bilayer microcapsule structure to encapsulate curcumin and fish oil, and prepares the product through low-temperature homogenization, spray drying, and granulation processes. The composition of this invention works synergistically through multiple pathways, simultaneously exerting effects on three key levels: anti-inflammation, lubrication, and cartilage repair. It can significantly inhibit joint inflammation, improve joint lubrication, and promote cartilage repair. This invention solves the problems of existing pet joint products, such as single pathways of action, low stability and bioavailability of lipid-soluble active ingredients, and lack of overall formulation optimization tailored to the characteristics of aging pets. It is suitable for daily joint health maintenance or adjunctive treatment in middle-aged and senior dogs and cats.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of pet health product technology, specifically relating to a nutritional composition and preparation method for improving joint health in older pets. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with the improvement of pet medical standards and the increasing attention pet owners pay to the health of their dogs and cats, the overall lifespan of pets has increased, and the proportion of elderly pets in clinical practice has continued to rise. Middle-aged and older dogs and cats commonly suffer from degenerative joint diseases, mainly manifested as degenerative osteoarthritis, cartilage wear, decreased synovial fluid viscosity, joint inflammation, and chronic pain, which in turn lead to limited joint mobility, slow movement, lameness, and even refusal to exercise, seriously affecting their quality of life.

[0003] Currently, commercially available pet joint health products mainly focus on single or combination of two ingredients such as glucosamine, chondroitin, and methanesulfonylmethane (MSM). Their mechanisms of action are mostly limited to supplementing cartilage matrix materials or providing basic anti-inflammatory support. However, joint problems faced by older pets often manifest as a complex pathological state involving multiple factors such as cartilage degeneration, persistent inflammation, and decreased lubrication function. Existing products, due to their single pathway of action, are unable to achieve comprehensive and systematic improvement.

[0004] Analysis reveals the following main shortcomings in existing technologies: 1) Single ingredient and limited target: Existing products mostly use glucosamine or chondroitin as the core ingredients. Although they can supplement the cartilage matrix to a certain extent, they are weak in inhibiting inflammatory factors, increasing synovial fluid viscosity, and promoting type II collagen synthesis, which makes it difficult to meet the needs of multi-dimensional intervention. 2) Insufficient anti-inflammatory effect: Although some products add MSM or a small amount of plant extracts, they lack a systematic anti-inflammatory component design and have limited inhibitory effect on key inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), making it difficult to achieve effective control of chronic joint inflammation and pain. 3) Insufficient improvement in joint lubrication: Decreased synovial fluid viscosity in aging joints is one of the important factors leading to functional impairment. However, existing formulations generally lack a combination of ingredients specifically targeting synovial fluid quality and joint lubrication function, resulting in limited effectiveness in improving joint flexibility and reducing wear. 4) Lack of specificity in cartilage repair: The traditional combination of glucosamine and chondroitin mainly provides raw materials for cartilage synthesis, but lacks active ingredients that promote type II collagen production and inhibit cartilage matrix degradation, resulting in low efficiency and long cycle in the cartilage repair process. 5) Low stability and bioavailability of fat-soluble active ingredients: Although curcumin, fish oil and other ingredients have good anti-inflammatory and joint protection potential, they are prone to oxidative degradation in conventional preparations and have low absorption rate in the digestive tract, which significantly limits their actual clinical application effect. 6) Lack of overall formula optimization for the characteristics of aging pets: Most existing products are simply human formulas that are directly applied to pets without fully taking into account the special characteristics of aging pets in terms of metabolic characteristics, movement patterns and joint disease progression, and making targeted formula design and process optimization.

[0005] In summary, existing pet joint health technologies have significant limitations in terms of action pathways, component synergy, formulation stability, and suitability for the elderly. There is an urgent need to develop a joint health product with synergistic components, comprehensive effects, and suitability for the physiological characteristics of aging pets. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention aims to provide a nutritional composition and preparation method for improving the joint health of senior pets, solving the technical problem that existing pet joint products are difficult to systematically improve the joint degenerative diseases caused by multiple factors such as cartilage degeneration, persistent inflammation and insufficient lubrication in senior pets due to their single mechanism of action.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A nutritional composition for improving joint health in older pets, the nutritional composition comprising: N-acetylglucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, methanesulfonylmethane, unsaponifiable avocado soybean extract, hyaluronic acid, curcumin microcapsule powder, and high-concentration fish oil.

[0008] Furthermore, the curcumin microcapsule powder has a lipid / polysaccharide bilayer microcapsule structure, with an inner lipid layer encapsulating the curcumin core and an outer polysaccharide coating.

[0009] Furthermore, the polysaccharide coating is selected from at least one of maltodextrin, gum arabic, modified starch, chitosan, sodium alginate, whey protein, or gelatin.

[0010] Furthermore, the total content of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in the high-concentration fish oil is not less than 60%.

[0011] Furthermore, the mass percentage of each component in the nutritional composition is as follows: N-acetylglucosamine 10%-40%, Chondroitin sulfate 10%-30%, Methanesulfonylmethane 10%-30%, Unsaponifiable avocado soybean extract 2%-10%, Hyaluronic acid 1%-5%, Curcumin microcapsule powder 1%-8%, High-concentration fish oil 5%-20%.

[0012] Furthermore, the hyaluronic acid has a molecular weight of 200 kDa to 500 kDa; and the methanesulfonylmethane (MSM) has a particle size of less than 100 μm.

[0013] Furthermore, the nutritional composition also contains 0.1–1% vitamin E.

[0014] Furthermore, its formulation is selected from soft chewable tablets, tablets, powders, gel strips, freeze-dried snacks, or liquid suspensions.

[0015] A method for preparing a nutritional composition for improving joint health in older pets includes the following steps: (1) Curcumin and fish oil are microencapsulated separately or together to form microencapsulated powder; (2) The microcapsule powder obtained in step (1) is mixed with the remaining components at a low temperature of 25°C to 40°C; (3) The mixed materials are spray-dried and granulated to prepare the desired formulation.

[0016] Furthermore, in step (1), the microcapsule encapsulation process uses a lipid / polysaccharide bilayer wall material and is achieved through high-shear emulsification and spray drying processes; in step (3), the granulation process uses dry granulation or wet granulation.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. This invention systematically combines N-acetylglucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, ASU, hyaluronic acid, curcumin microcapsule powder, and high-concentration fish oil to form a multi-target combination that combines anti-inflammatory, lubricating, and cartilage repair effects, unlike existing single-component or dual-component joint nutrition programs. Through the synergistic effect of MSM, curcumin microcapsule powder, and high-concentration fish oil, it significantly reduces the levels of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α and IL-6, alleviating joint redness, swelling, and pain. Hyaluronic acid, combined with fish oil, improves synovial fluid viscosity and lubrication, reducing friction and cartilage wear during joint movement. ASU, along with N-acetylglucosamine and chondroitin, promotes type II collagen production, improves chondrocyte metabolism, and promotes cartilage tissue repair.

[0018] 2. This invention uses a microcapsule structure with a lipid / polysaccharide bilayer wall material to encapsulate curcumin and fish oil. The inner lipid layer reduces the contact between the active ingredients and oxygen and light, while the outer polysaccharide coating improves their stability in the digestive tract and achieves a sustained-release effect. This significantly enhances the antioxidant stability and digestive absorption rate of curcumin and fish oil, allowing the active ingredients to act in the body for a longer period of time, thus solving the problems of easy oxidation and poor absorption of fat-soluble active ingredients in traditional formulations. 3. This invention fully considers the joint pathology and metabolic characteristics of older pets in its ingredient selection and proportion design. Through the synergistic effects of three key aspects—anti-inflammatory, lubricating, and cartilage repair—it achieves a systematic improvement in the joint health of older pets, significantly superior to simply applying human formulas. Experimental results in middle-aged and older dogs show that the composition of this invention can significantly reduce lameness scores, increase joint range of motion, and significantly improve daily mobility. 4. This invention employs a low-temperature homogenization mixing process, which mixes at 25°C to 40°C, effectively reducing the degradation of heat-sensitive components. Combined with spray drying and secondary granulation processes, it achieves large-scale industrial production while ensuring the stability of active ingredients, resulting in good formulation consistency. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used in conjunction with embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the composition of the nutritional composition of the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the double-layer structure of curcumin and fish oil microcapsules; Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the preparation process of the nutritional composition of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments.

[0022] like Figure 1As shown, the nutritional composition for improving joint health in middle-aged and older pets provided by this invention comprises the following main active ingredients: N-acetylglucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, methanesulfonylmethane (MSM), unsaponifiable avocado soybean extract (ASU), hyaluronic acid, curcumin microcapsule powder, and high-concentration fish oil. These seven core ingredients together constitute a multi-pathway synergistic nutritional composition, simultaneously exerting effects on three key levels: anti-inflammation, lubrication, and cartilage repair.

[0023] like Figure 2 As shown, to improve the stability and bioavailability of fat-soluble active ingredients such as curcumin and fish oil, this invention employs a microcapsule structure with a lipid / polysaccharide bilayer wall material. Specifically, it includes: an inner lipid layer for encapsulating curcumin or fish oil, effectively reducing contact between the active ingredients and oxygen and light, preventing oxidative degradation; and an outer polysaccharide coating composed of maltodextrin, gum arabic, modified starch, etc., to improve the stability of the microcapsules in the digestive tract and achieve a sustained-release effect, promoting the absorption of the active ingredients in vivo. This microcapsule structure is prepared using a spray-drying process, resulting in microcapsule powder with uniform particle size, facilitating uniform mixing with other powdered nutrients.

[0024] like Figure 3 As shown, the preparation process of the nutritional composition of the present invention includes the following main steps: microencapsulation step, low-temperature homogenization mixing step, spray drying step, granulation step, and formulation forming step. Example 1: Preparation of a nutritional composition (soft chewable tablet) A method for preparing a nutritional composition for improving joint health in older pets includes the following steps: (1) Microencapsulation steps To improve the stability and bioavailability of the active ingredients, this embodiment employs a lipid / polysaccharide bilayer wall microcapsule structure. The inner lipid layer encapsulates the core (curcumin or high-concentration fish oil) to reduce its contact with oxygen and light; the outer layer uses a polysaccharide coating (such as maltodextrin or gum arabic) to enhance stability in the digestive tract and achieve a sustained-release effect.

[0025] Curcumin or fish oil is mixed with a pre-prepared wall material solution in a certain proportion, and after high-shear emulsification, it is fed into a spray drying tower. By controlling the inlet and outlet temperatures, stable microcapsule powder with uniform particle size is obtained.

[0026] (2) Low-temperature homogenization Weigh the following components by weight percentage: N-acetylglucosamine 25%, chondroitin sulfate 20%, methanesulfonylmethane (MSM) 20%, unsaponifiable avocado soybean extract (ASU) 6%, hyaluronic acid 3%, curcumin microcapsule powder 4%, high-concentration fish oil (EPA+DHA content not less than 60%) 12%, vitamin E 0.5% (optional), and the balance being excipients (such as microcrystalline cellulose). Add the above active ingredients to a mixing device and thoroughly homogenize within a specific low-temperature range of 25–40°C. This temperature control effectively prevents degradation of heat-sensitive components (such as fish oil and curcumin), ensuring bioactivity.

[0027] (3) Post-processing and molding The mixture is spray-dried again as needed to obtain a premixed powder with good flowability. Then, a dry granulation process is used to improve the bulk density and tableting performance of the powder, and finally it is processed into a soft chewable form that is more in line with the active eating preferences of dogs and cats.

[0028] Example 2: Verification of the effect of improving joint health in middle-aged and older dogs Experimental Design: Eight middle-aged and elderly dogs aged 8 years and above were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group (n=4 in each group). The experimental group was fed the composition prepared in Example 1 daily with their food; the control group was fed the same dose of a commercially available traditional glucosamine monotherapy product, and the observation was carried out for 30 consecutive days.

[0029] Experimental results: Improved mobility: The lameness score of the experimental group dogs decreased by an average of about 32%, and the range of motion (ROM) of joints increased by about 18%, both of which were significantly better than those of the control group.

[0030] Decreased inflammation levels: Serum tests revealed that the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 inflammatory factors in the experimental group decreased by approximately 30% and 25%, respectively, demonstrating that the multi-pathway synergistic formulation (ASU+MSM+curcumin, etc.) has an additive effect in inhibiting chronic joint inflammation.

[0031] Modifications (Diversification): To broaden the scope of protection, this invention also covers the following possible modifications: Component substitution: Fish oil can be replaced with algal oil DHA or other Omega-3 sources; the microcapsule wall material can be replaced with chitosan, sodium alginate, or whey protein, etc., depending on the need for sustained release. Target audience: In addition to middle-aged and older dogs and cats, this composition is also suitable for working dogs with high exercise intensity or overweight pets that experience heavy joint stress, as a preventative intervention.

[0032] It should be noted that, in this document, terms such as “comprising,” “including,” or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0033] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A nutritional composition for improving joint health in senior pets, characterized in that, The nutritional composition comprises: N-acetylglucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, methanesulfonylmethane, unsaponifiable avocado soybean extract, hyaluronic acid, curcumin microcapsule powder, and high-concentration fish oil.

2. The nutritional composition for improving joint health in older pets according to claim 1, characterized in that, The curcumin microcapsule powder has a lipid / polysaccharide bilayer microcapsule structure, with an inner lipid layer encapsulating the curcumin core and an outer polysaccharide coating.

3. The nutritional composition for improving joint health in older pets according to claim 2, characterized in that, The polysaccharide coating is selected from at least one of maltodextrin, gum arabic, modified starch, chitosan, sodium alginate, whey protein, or gelatin.

4. The nutritional composition for improving joint health in older pets according to claim 1, characterized in that, The total content of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in the high-concentration fish oil is not less than 60%.

5. A nutritional composition for improving joint health in older pets according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mass percentage of each component in the nutritional composition is as follows: N-acetylglucosamine 10%-40%, Chondroitin sulfate 10%-30%, Methanesulfonylmethane 10%-30%, Unsaponifiable avocado soybean extract 2%-10%, Hyaluronic acid 1%-5%, Curcumin microcapsule powder 1%-8%, High-concentration fish oil 5%-20%.

6. A nutritional composition for improving joint health in older pets according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hyaluronic acid has a molecular weight of 200 kDa to 500 kDa; the methanesulfonylmethane (MSM) has a particle size of less than 100 μm.

7. A nutritional composition for improving joint health in older pets according to claim 5, characterized in that, The nutritional composition also contains 0.1–1% vitamin E.

8. A nutritional composition for improving joint health in older pets according to claim 1, characterized in that, Its formulation can be selected from soft chewable tablets, tablets, powders, gel strips, freeze-dried snacks or liquid suspensions.

9. A method for preparing a nutritional composition for improving joint health in older pets, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Curcumin and fish oil are microencapsulated separately or together to form microencapsulated powder; (2) The microcapsule powder obtained in step (1) is mixed with the remaining components at a low temperature of 25°C to 40°C; (3) The mixed materials are spray-dried and granulated to prepare the desired formulation.

10. A method for preparing a nutritional composition for improving joint health in older pets according to claim 9, characterized in that, In step (1), the microcapsule encapsulation process uses a lipid / polysaccharide bilayer wall material and is achieved through high-shear emulsification and spray drying processes; in step (3), the granulation process uses dry granulation or wet granulation.

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