People and animals are given hydrolyzed diets for a variety of reasons. These include providing nutrition when your digestive system is compromised, or as part of a system for detecting food sensitivities in pets or livestock. If you or your pet are prescribed a hydrolyzed diet, it's important to follow the medical care provider's instructions precisely. Do not utilize a hydrolyzed diet without a medical care provider's supervision.
Function in People
If you must have a liquid diet or be tube fed, one option is a hydrolyzed formula. These are used when you have a compromised digestive system or have a compromised ability to absorb nutrients, says Linda K. DeBruyne, lead author for the book, "Nutrition and Diet Therapy." Such formulas contain protein and carbohydrates that are either fully or partially broken down so that they require little or no digestion, adds Sharon Rady Rolfes, lead author for "Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition." Some infant formulas also may have hydrolyzed, or broken-down, protein to decrease food sensitivity, according to the University of Pennsylvania. Hydrolyzed formulas also may be called monomeric, chemically defined or elemental formulas.
Features
Hydrolyzed formulas generally are low in fat. They may contain medium chain triglycerides, MCTs, that ease absorption and digestion, says DeBruyne. Examples of carbohydrate sources in a hydrolyzed formula include hydrolyzed corn starch, fructose and maltodextrin. Examples of protein sources include hydrolyzed casein or whey, hydrolyzed soy protein or crystalline amino acids. The MCTs come from vegetable oils such as soybean or canola oil, says Rolfes.
Ingredients
Though hydrolyzed formulas are likely to contain casein or whey, which are milk proteins, they are generally free of lactose, the sugar in milk, says DeBruyne. Also, if you use a hydrolyzed diet, you will not have much fecal output. A hydrolyzed diet can be used to provide adequate nutrition when tube feeding or a liquid diet is needed for more than a few days, DeBruyne adds.
Function in Pets
Hydrolyzed diets also are used for pets such as cats and dogs that are experiencing food reactions such as an allergy or intolerance, says Gary D. Norsworthy, lead author of "The Feline Patient." Hydrolyzed diets may be used as part of the process for diagnosing food sensitivities. Such a process lasts for eight weeks, and must be strictly followed to produce valid results. Hydrolyzed diets also are used for livestock.
Effects
When your pet eats a hydrolyzed diet, it consumes a single protein source that is hydrolyzed into tiny particles that your pet's immune system is unlikely to recognize as an allergen, according to the University of Pennsylvania Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital. Chicken and soy are the common protein sources in such diets, with soy often preferable because few pets previously consume soy-based diets prior to the hydrolyzed diet. This makes it less likely for them to be sensitized to soy protein. Also, hydrolyzed soy is easily absorbed from your pets gut. People often report that their pets that have food sensitivities like hydrolyzed diets better than the other alternative, the novel protein diet. A novel protein diet involves a protein source your pet has not previously been exposed to and therefore won't have an immune response to. These diets have more options for protein sources.
Considerations
If you choose a hydrolyzed diet for your pet or your livestock, it will be harder to promote weight gain, according to K. C. Divakala, lead author for a 2009 study published in "The Journal of Animal Science." A novel protein diet, on the other hand, requires attention to portion control to prevent weight gain, according to the University of Pennsylvania.
References
- "Nutrition and Diet Therapy"; Linda K. DeBruyne, et al.; 2007
- "Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition"; Sharon Rady Rolfes, et al.; 2008
- Valley Vet Clinic: What to Feed? Hydrolyzed Diet vs. Novel-Protein Diet; University of Pennsylvania Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital
- "Journal of Animal Science"; Amino Acid Supplementation of Hydrolyzed Feather Meal Diets for Finisher Pigs; K. C. Divakala, et al.; 2009
- "The Feline Patient"; Gary D. Norsworthy, et al.; 2006
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