Probiotics are all the rage. Whether you’re in a pet store or a grocery store, it seems like everything from fruit juice to cat litter is touting their probiotic content.
If probiotics are so “hot,” why doesn’t In Clover include them in our products? Although many pet parents say they notice improvement in their animals’ health, there currently exists no scientific method to substantiate these subjective observations.
In Clover’s core philosophy revolves around mindful product developing using evidence-based research. We refuse to take shortcuts or create products based on trends. Our standards for scientific research are head and shoulders above what some other companies will accept as “proof.” Research must include a statistically significant population, utilize standard scientific practices and be species-specific (conducted in dogs and cats). Alternatively, some products are developed by making assumptions using in vitro (completed in a test tube; no animals involved), mice or human studies. Our purposeful formulation not only allows us to substantiate any claims, but it also results in supplements with a high probability of real, tangible results.
In contrast to probiotic supplements, prebiotics have been been well researched. In fact, In Clover’s president was a pioneer in prebiotic clinical studies, and her published works have inspired product developers across industries and around the world.
In Clover’s OptaGest® digestive aid contains clinically tested levels of organic prebiotics and vital digestive enzymes.
Further reading: Assessment of commercial probiotic bacterial contents and label accuracy
“Probiotics are widely available for use in animals but quality control of veterinary probiotics has been shown to be poor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the labels and bacterial contents of commercial probiotics marketed for use in animals. … Only 4/15 (27%) products that had specific claims of viable organisms met or exceeded their label claim. Only 2 of these also had an acceptable label, which properly described the contents. Deficiencies in veterinary probiotic quality remain. Veterinarians and owners should scrutinize commercial probiotics and demand evidence of quality control and efficacy.”