PSV-B-20 - Effects of saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP) postbiotic in Labrador Retrievers during exercise and transport stress

Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP) is a dietary postbiotic compound shown to support digestive health and immune function in several species. Two studies were performed to evaluate the effects of SCFP (Diamond V Mills, Inc.; Cedar Rapids, IA) in canines exposed to exercise and transport stress. In both studies, 36 Labrador Retrievers (18 males/18 females) >5y were used. Study 1 consisted of a 3-wk adaptation period followed by a 14-wk series of distance-defined running exercise regimens (DDER) with subjects randomly allocated to three groups of 0 mg/d SCFP, 250 mg/d SCFP, or 500 mg/d SCFP. Study 2 consisted of a 3-wk adaptation period followed by an 8 wk phase of DDER and a final, single transport stress event. Subjects were randomly allocated to two treatments of 0 mg/d SCFP and 250 mg/d SCFP. Parameters examined over the two studies included body composition, body weight, feed intake, activity, running speed, stool quality. The following serum biomarkers were also measured: saliva cortisol (CORT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), c-reactive protein (CRP), creatine kinase (CK), haptoglobin (HAP), serum amyloid A (SAA), TNF-α, immunoglobulin E (IgE), and immunoglobulin G (IgG). Subjects fed SCFP exhibited numeric net increases in lean mass (Table 1), numeric increases in stool quality, and significantly higher activity during exercise (P < 0.05) vs CON (Table 2). The 500 mg/d SCFP group exhibited lower CK (P < 0.03), increased HAP (P < 0.001), increased SAA (P < 0.05), increased TNF-α (P < 0.007), increased CORT, improved TAC (P < 0.001), reduced TBARS (P < 0.01), IgE (P < 0.001) and IgG (P < 0.001), and increased CRP during transport (P < 0.001) (Table 3). These results demonstrate that Labrador Retrievers supplemented with SCFP may exhibit improved vitality, utilization of nutrients, immune function, and reduced cellular damage when subjected to exercise and transport stress.