Nutritional Considerations

Manage Nutritional Issues with SBS Pet^®

The addition of SBS Pet^® helps pet food formulators address several nutritional issues.

Calcium/Phosphorus Ratio

SBS Pet acidifies the diet and improves palatability without affecting the calcium/phosphorus ratio. The ideal ratio of calcium to phosphorus in the diet is 1:1. If the ratio is too high it can impair phosphorus absorption.⁸ If it is too low, it can lead to many nutritional problems from calcium deficiency–including bone loss.

Sodium

Sodium is an essential part of a cat’s diet. Recent studies indicate that cats have a higher sodium requirement for maintenance than the value of 0.5 g/kg diet proposed by the National Research Council (1986). A minimal sodium requirement of 0.8 g/kg diet has been proposed for maintenance of adult cats.⁹ Sodium deficient cats can exhibit anorexia, weight loss, hyponatriuria and a negative sodium balance. The addition of SBS Pet™ to the diet may contribute to meeting the higher sodium requirement.

Sulfate

Inorganic sulfate is an essential electrolyte required by all organisms for life¹⁰ that is involved in a variety of processes, including in detoxification via sulfation.^11,12 Sulfate is required for cell matrix synthesis and maintenance of cell membranes, and is involved in the formation of sulfated glycosaminoglycans, major components of cartilage.^13,14 It is also involved in the formation of cerebroside sulfate, a constituent in the myelin membranes of the brain.^13,14 Sulfate conjugation serves a role in the biosynthetic pathway for the production of steroids, neurotransmitters and bile agents.¹⁵