Nutritional composition for weight management

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DESCRIPTION

Nutritional composition to manage weight.

Background of the invention

The present invention relates to a nutritional composition to manage body weight and more especially to this type of composition that contains a combination of ingredients to achieve weight loss in a mammal in need of treatment.

Obesity is a relatively common problem, with 30% of the US population considered clinically obese. In dogs and cats, the same problem exists in 20% of cats and 40% of dogs. Apart from the psychological problems associated with being overweight in humans, humans, like overweight dogs and cats, can suffer from other physiological disorders such as diabetes, increased blood pressure, increased triglycerides in the blood, decreased mobility, skeletal strain, dystocia, thyroid dysfunction, joint problems, cancer, etc. These statistics show that obesity is a common problem in dogs, cats and humans and also show the dire need for technologies that solve and counteract this problem.

Patent US 5,085,883 refers to a mixture of dietary fibers to normalize intestinal function, wherein said mixture comprises soluble and fermentable fibers; soluble and non-fermentable fibers; and non-soluble and non-fermentable fibers. The fiber blend can be formulated as part of a finished product with a premix of some vitamins, including vitamin A; a premix of some minerals, including chromium and carnitine.

US-5,626,849 refers to a composition comprising chromium, L-carnitine, maltodextrin and / or oatmeal. This composition can be used as a dietary supplement to facilitate weight loss in humans.

US-5,714,472 refers to nutritionally fortified pharmaceutical compositions comprising, in addition to carbohydrates, in particular maltodextrin and cornstarch, also other nutrients such as vitamin A, L-carnitine and chromium. These fortified compositions are formulated for enteral feeding of intensive care patients who may have impaired absorption capacity.

For humans, dogs, and cats currently nutritional recommendations often include a recommendation to eat a diet high in fiber or foods that are high in dietary fiber. However, high fiber diets for dogs and cats are often associated with several undesirable adverse effects, including decreased palatability of food, increased stool volume, increased frequency of defecation, poor skin and hair condition. , inadequate mineral balance and lower digestibility of food. Unfortunately, although these types of nutritional recommendations have been in existence for many years, the prevalence of obesity in humans and companion animals has continued to rise. Relatively abundant access to food and the dietary habits of the population mean that losing weight remains a challenge for humans. Also, since an overweight owner has been shown to be more likely to have an overweight pet, the prevalence of obesity in dogs and cats has also increased.

Another nutritional recommendation often made for weight management is to reduce your dietary fat intake. Although many types of foods that are low-fat, fat-free, low-fat and "light" have appeared on the market and have increased their presence in the human food supply, the prevalence of obesity continues to increase.

Therefore, there is still a need in the state of the art to develop a nutritional regimen that helps humans, dogs and cats to reduce body fat and overall weight.

Summary of the invention

The present invention solves the need to provide a composition which, when administered to an overweight or obese mammal, helps the mammal lose weight and maintain weight loss. The composition can be administered in the form of a supplement or as part of a nutritionally complete diet. The term "diet" means the food or drink that is consumed on a regular basis by the animal.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a composition for promoting weight loss in a cat or dog comprising effective amounts of L-carnitine, chromium, vitamin A and a carbohydrate source selected from sorghum, barley and a mixture thereof.

Preferably, the composition comprises 15 to 195 ppm of L-carnitine, 10 to 500 micrograms of chromium and 50,000 IU to 1,000,000 IU of vitamin A per kilogram of diet.

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More preferably, the composition comprises 20 to 150 ppm of L-camitin, and most preferably 50 to 100 ppm of L-camitin, per kilogram of diet.

The composition preferably comprises from 50,000 IU to 500,000 IU of vitamin A per kilogram of diet and more preferably from 50,000 IU to 150,000 IU of vitamin A per kilogram of diet.

The composition also preferably includes 18 to 40% by weight of crude protein, 4 to 30% by weight of fat and 2 to 20% by weight of total dietary fiber.

The composition can be used as a method of promoting weight loss in a cat or dog with the mammal being fed a composition containing effective amounts of a combination of L-carnitine, chromium, vitamin A and a carbohydrate source selected from sorghum. , barley and a mixture thereof.

The composition is preferably administered in an amount of 1.0 to 10.0 mg of L-carnitine per kilogram of body weight per day, 5.0 to 15.0 micrograms of chromium per kilogram of body weight per day, of 200 to 600 IU of vitamin A per kilogram of body weight per day and 1.0 to 3.0 grams of the carbohydrate source per kilogram of body weight per day.

More preferably, L-carnitine is administered in an amount of 2.5 to 5.0 mg per kilogram of body weight per day.

The present invention provides a multi-nutrient approach to weight loss by treating the multiple causes of obesity. L-carnitine and / or esters thereof are included in the composition to provide a means for burning fatty acids. Chromium is provided to improve insulin sensitivity in the mammal so that it helps the body store blood glucose more efficiently. Vitamin A is present to reduce leptin levels. Leptin is a hormone that is increased in mammals that are obese. By reducing leptin, vitamin A helps the individual to regain a more normal hormonal state. Reducing starch levels and / or selecting low glycemic carbohydrate / starch sources improves the individual's glucose metabolism. Better glucose metabolism results in fewer spikes and drops in blood glucose levels than 30. As a consequence, the individual feels satiated more often, consumes less food, and loses weight.

Thus, a feature of the present invention is to provide a composition which, when administered to an overweight or obese mammal, helps the mammal lose weight and maintain weight loss. This and 35 other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 is a graph for comparing body weight loss in canines fed a commercial dietary formulation (diet A) and canines fed a composition formulated in accordance with the present invention (diet B);

Fig. 2 is a bar graph illustrating the body fat of overweight dogs fed diet A or B;

Fig. 3 is a bar graph illustrating the lean body mass of overweight canines fed diet A or B;

Fig. 4 is a bar graph illustrating the glycemic response of overweight canines after 12 weeks of consuming diet A or B; and Fig. 5 is a bar graph illustrating glucose metabolism of overweight canines after 12 weeks of consuming diet A or B.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

The composition of the present invention includes an effective combination of L-carnitine, chromium, vitamin A, and a carbohydrate source selected from sorghum, barley, and a mixture thereof.

Carnitine can be provided in the composition of the present invention using a source of L-carnitine or a carnitine ester such as carnitine tartrate, carnitine acetate or carnitine propionate. The dietary supplement of carnitine in amounts between 15 and 195 ppm, more preferably between 20 and 150 ppm and most preferably 50 to 100 ppm, per kilogram of diet, promotes weight loss in overweight mammals. Expressed otherwise, carnitine can be administered to the mammal in amounts of between 1.0 and 10.0 mg per kilogram of body weight per day and preferably 2.5 to 5.0 mg per kilogram of body weight per day.

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Administration of an effective amount of camitin to overweight mammals results in greater weight loss than in the case of mammals fed a diet containing no carnitine supplement. Furthermore, mammals fed a carnitine supplemented diet have a higher percentage of lean body mass (LBM) than mammals fed the same diet but without carnitine supplementation. Likewise, the 5 mammals fed a diet supplemented with carnitine voluntarily restrict their food intake. Reference is also made to WO 00/00039 entitled PROCESS AND PRODUCT FOR PROMOTING WEIGHT LOSS IN OVERWEIGHT DOGS.

The composition of the present invention also preferably contains a chromium source which has the effect of minimizing the postprandial glucose and / or insulin response in a mammal. Chromium can be provided from these bioavailable sources such as chromium picolinate, chromium tripicolinate, chromium nicotinate, or chromium yeast. For example, the composition can include chromium tripicolinate in an amount that will provide the mammal with between 10 to 500 micrograms of chromium per day. In other words, chromium is present in an amount of between 5.0 and 15.0 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day. Chromium tripicolinate is found in brewer's yeast so yeast can be added to the composition. Alternatively, the chromium in a virtually pure bioavailable form can be added directly to the composition.

Vitamin A can be provided to the composition of the present invention as vitamin A acetate or retinol which provides sufficient vitamin A to cause a reduction in the adiposity of the mammal. In addition to reducing adiposity, vitamin A can also increase the expression of the UCP1 gene, suppress the expression of the leptin gene, and suppress serum leptin levels. This helps prevent obesity, promote weight loss, and may also minimize age-related increases in body fat and increases in body fat associated with diabetes.

Vitamin A is preferably provided in an amount of 50,000 IU to 1,000,000 IU of vitamin A per kilogram of diet, more preferably 50,000 IU to 500,000 IU of vitamin A per kilogram of diet, and most preferably 50,000 IU to 150,000 IU. of vitamin A per kilogram of diet. In other words, vitamin A is supplied in an amount of between 200 and 600 IU per kilogram of body weight per day.

The supplement is preferably administered to a mammal in an amount of 50,000 IU to 1,000,000 IU of vitamin A per day (based on a diet of 1,000 g per day) or 5,000 IU to 100,000 IU of vitamin A per day (based on a diet of 100 g per day).

The present invention also preferably includes a carbohydrate source from a low glycemic index grain. The glycemic index is a measure of the rate at which carbohydrates break down to glucose and are absorbed into the bloodstream. The glycemic index is a relative scale measured on a standard reference food (typically 50 g of white bread = 100). The term "low glycemic index" means that the starch source provides a glycemic response that is closer to fasting glucose and insulin levels than a standard reference carbohydrate source. Suitable low glycemic grains are selected from sorghum, barley, and a mixture thereof. Brewer's rice is not a suitable grain source for the present invention. Preferably the weight ratio between the grain sources in any blend is 1: 5 to 5: 1 and more preferably the weight ratio of any blend contains substantially equal amounts of each grain (i.e. 1: 1 ratio) . The composition of the present invention includes an amount of these starch sources to provide a mammal with 1.0 to 3.0 grams of starch per kilogram of body weight per day. Reference is also made to WO 99/51108 entitled COMPOSITION AND PROCESS FOR IMPROVING GLUCOSE METABOLISM IN COMPANION ANIMALS and WO 00/49891 entitled ALTERATION OF GLUCOSE METABOLISM IN COMPANION ANIMALS BY DIETARY STARCH.

The nutrients described above can be provided in any suitable formulation that also provides adequate nutrition to the mammal, such as a supplement in the form of a tablet, capsule, or pet food composition. For example, a composition for use in the present invention may contain 1840% by weight of crude protein, 4-30% by weight of fat, and 2-20% by weight of total dietary fiber. However, no specific ratios or percentages are required. Preferably, the mammal is fed a low-fat diet supplemented with carnitine to promote weight loss. A typical low-fat diet may contain 21.1% by weight protein, 8.6% by weight fat, and 1.7% by weight crude fiber.

In order to more easily understand the invention, reference is made to the following example intended to illustrate the invention but not to limit the scope thereof.

Example 1

Twenty adult Beagle female dogs were used to evaluate the effects of a multi-nutrient approach to weight loss. Fresh water was provided ad libitum throughout the study. Food was provided ad libitum during the weight gain and weight loss phases of the study.

The study comprised two periods: weight gain period and weight loss period. During the 10 week weight gain period, all dogs were fed a high protein, high fat diet (Purina® Pro-Visions ProPlan® Chicken and Rice Performance Formula

ES 2 298 152 Τ3 (35% protein, 23% fat and 2% crude fiber). At the beginning of the weight loss period the dogs were classified by body weight, body fat percentage and blood glucose and then randomized to 2 dietary treatment groups of 10 dogs each. Group A dogs were fed a traditional high fiber diet (Hill's® Prescription Diet® w / d® Canine) (diet A) and group B dogs were fed a diet formulated in accordance with the present invention (Eukanuba Veterinary Diets® Nutritional Weight Maintenance Formula ™ Glucose-Control^TM/ Canine (diet B) ad libitum.

The composition of the diets (calculated with respect to the dry substance) is shown in Table 1.

<td colspan="3">TABLE 1</td>

<td></td><td>Diet a</td><td>Diet b</td>

<td>Protein (%)</td><td> 16</td><td> 28,8</td>

<td>Grease (%)</td><td> 9,7</td><td> 7,8</td>

<td>Ash (%)</td><td> 4,2</td><td> 7,2</td>

<td>Crude fiber (%)</td><td> 17,0</td><td> 3,7</td>

<td>Carnitine (ppm)</td><td> 250</td><td> 60</td>

<td>Gross energy (kcal / g)</td><td> 4,743</td><td> 4, 604</td>

<td>Metabolizable energy</td><td> 3,244</td><td> 3,509</td>

<td>% of calories from:</td><td></td><td></td>

<td>Protein</td><td> 17,4</td><td> 28,7</td>

<td>Carbohydrates</td><td> 57,2</td><td> 52,4</td>

<td>Grease</td><td> 25,4</td><td> 18,9</td>

Diet B also contained amounts of chromium (chromium tripicolinate) and a mixture of sorghum and barley as a carbohydrate source according to the present invention.

Food intake and body weight were monitored daily and weekly, respectively. Total body composition was determined at the beginning and end of the weight loss period. Total body composition was determined using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and the Hologic QDR-2000 Plus High Resolution X-Ray Bone densitometer.

After 14 weeks of receiving diets A and B, a glucose tolerance test was performed (serum glucose and insulin concentrations were determined in the blood at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 , 16, 19, 22, 25, 30 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 140, 160 and 180 min after administering 300 mg / kg bp of glucose at time 0 and 0.02 U / kg pe of insulin in time 20 min.