Five Factors to Help Evaluate Trace Mineral Effectiveness
Although used in small amounts, trace minerals play a crucial role in maintaining many daily biochemical processes in pets and are necessary to sustain life, manage stress and promote growth, development and overall health.
Trace minerals are included in pet diets in either inorganic or organic forms. Organic trace minerals, minerals bound to a carbon containing molecule, have gained mainstream adoption within premium and super-premium pet diets because of their enhanced bioavailability; however, not all organic trace minerals are considered equal. Organic trace minerals available on the market can vary greatly in their structure, absorption and performance.
To help identify which organic minerals are the best choice for your brand(s), consider these essential five factors to evaluate organic trace mineral performance. A successful organic trace mineral delivers on all five factors.
Mineral source must be water soluble
Product must be stable across range of physiologic pHs
Mineral must be stable in presence of dietary chelationg agents
Mineral must be absorbable from GI tract
Mineral product must result in increased animal performance benefits
1. Mineral source must be water soluble
Although a predominantly acidic environment, the small intestine works to maintain a neutral pH at the level of enterocyte. As the primary gatekeeper of absorption, the enterocyte’s environment is a key factor in moving nutrients successfully into the body. Thus, lack of water (neutral) solubility limits a mineral’s absorption and bioavailability capacity, an issue worsened by dietary antagonists that bind to minerals, preventing their uptake, leading to sub-optimal pet health and performance.
Choose water-soluble organic trace minerals that can be easily transported into the bloodstream, enhancing their availability for metabolic processes and reducing deficiency risks. Zinpro® Performance Minerals® utilize a unique 1:1 metal: amino acid ratio that allows them to dissolve in water and be absorbed through amino acid transporters, bypassing limitations posed by antagonists and ensuring optimal mineral delivery and utilization.
2. Mineral source must be stable across a range of physiologic pHs
Many conventional organic trace minerals become unstable in the varying pH environments of the digestive tract. This instability can result in the minerals dissociating, often reverting to their inorganic form and reducing their efficacy and potentially interacting with other dietary components to become unavailable for pets to use.
To ensure stability through the GI tract, use mineral sources that maintain stability across a wide range of physiologic pH levels. Zinpro Performance Minerals utilize a unique molecular structure that forms a stable complex with amino acids, which protects the mineral from pH-induced dissociation and enhances its bioavailability, helping deliver an intact organic trace mineral to the pet’s target tissues and organs.
3. Mineral must be stable in presence of dietary chelating agents
The presence of dietary chelating agents such as phytates, tannins, and certain fibers can significantly hinder the absorption of trace minerals. These chelating agents bind to minerals, forming insoluble complexes that prevent the minerals from being absorbed in the GI. This interaction can lead to mineral deficiencies, negatively impacting pet health and performance.
Choose mineral sources that remain stable in the presence of dietary chelating agents, as they are less likely to form insoluble complexes and remain available for absorption. The unique molecular structure of Zinpro Performance Minerals enables them to maintain stability even when dietary chelators are present. This stability is achieved through the formation of a stable complex with amino acids, which protects the mineral from binding with chelating agents, thereby enhancing its bioavailability and ensuring optimal mineral delivery and utilization.
4. Mineral must be absorbable from the GI tract
Trace minerals can only be effective if they can be adequately absorbed within the GI. Unfortunately, many conventional trace minerals, struggle to be absorbed efficiently due to their inability to utilize the appropriate transport pathways. This poor absorption can lead to inadequate mineral delivery to the animal’s tissues and organs, which can compromise overall pet wellness.
Look for highly absorbable mineral sources that can efficiently utilize transport mechanisms to enter the bloodstream and reach target tissues. Zinpro Performance Minerals are a highly effective choice because they are uniquely structured for maximum absorption. By utilizing unique amino acid transporters as an absorption mechanism, they navigate absorption challenges with ease. This scientifically proven absorption pathway enables Zinpro Performance Minerals to move from the intestine into the bloodstream then to target tissues successfully where they deliver on the most critical factor, animal performance.
5. Mineral product must result in increased animal performance benefits
The principal factor of a successful trace mineral: consistent improvement in an animal’s performance and wellbeing. Proving animal performance benefits is core to Zinpro and that dedication has led to Zinpro Performance Minerals being proven in more than 350 peer reviewed studies and multiple pet-specific studies.
Ultimately, the goal of any pet diet is to help pets live long, healthy and happy lives. When choosing ingredients to meet this goal, trace minerals have historically taken a passive role. Many conventional mineral products simply provide a nutritional baseline and cannot substantiate high-value performance benefits – a potentially missed opportunity for brands seeking to add functional benefits to product formulas while managing formula costs and perceived ingredient benefits.
Choosing trace minerals such as Zinpro ProPath® Performance Minerals that have the capacity to play an active role in delivering comprehensive long-term pet health can be an excellent choice for brands seeking to elevate their formula’s nutritional foundation and deliver visible health benefits with ingredients already required in pet diets. Pet-specific studies show that Zinpro ProPath Performance Minerals can support high-value claims pet parents are seeking such as immune health, pet vitality and energy levels, mobility and skin and coat health. Does your mineral strategy need a re-boot? Contact the Zinpro Pet team to see how our Performance Minerals can transform essential nutrition into value-added performance ingredients that can help pets shine from the inside out while helping your brand build loyalty that lasts.
