BERSERK BEHAVIOR &
reproductive problems
Estrogen inhibitors and excitotoxins in
pet foods (and human food) cause
reproductive problems and hyperactive,
aberrant behavior - devastation for
breeders!
Nel Liquorman
|
TheDogPress.com
Nutrition Editor
Sept. 2010
Updated April 2011
Certain dog food ingredients can destroy
breeding programs, cause unprovoked
aggression, excessive barking, nervous
pacing, and behavioral problems which
medical doctors would term
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
One
cat owner reported her cats “went crazy”
when she changed cat food. A
long-time breeder who feeds only a small
amount of commercial dry kibble, said
her dogs became hyperactive while
gaining weight at the same time.
As questions mounted, all seemingly
related, I did hours of in-depth
research which resulted in some very
disturbing answers.
Behavioral problems, particularly
aggression and hyperactivity, may be
caused by excitotoxins in the food.
Behavioral abnormalities have escalated
in both humans and commercially fed
animals, from rampant Alzheimer’s
disease to raging elephants to
can’t-live-with-them family pets.
The science of excitotoxicity will amaze
you!
But first, the reproductive complaints
are valid! Many pet foods contain
additives and supplements which act as
estrogen-blockers and cause
serious
problems for cat and dog breeders.
FERTILITY AND REPRODUCTION
Estrogen Inhibitor Oils:
Many pet foods are now touted as rich in
omega 3 oils from wild salmon and other
oily fish, along with cruciferous plant
substances including flax seeds, oil
from flax seeds, broccoli, and rapeseed
oil (renamed Canola). Oil from
hemp, a cruciferous plant which is 80%
fatty acid, is also being sold as a
supplement for dogs and cats. All
these substances are natural
estrogen inhibitors, plus they interfere
with thyroid hormone production
and with many
prescription drugs.
Vitamin D
in pet food is just more oil from fish
and Vitamin D3 is specifically
from Cod Oil which
contains especially high levels of
vitamin A. High levels of “A”
are known to cause
ii Hypervitaminosis A
with side effects ranging from skin
problems to birth defects.
Cruciferous vegetables, extremely
healthy for humans, have been used in
hundreds of cancer studies. Since
2004, cancer doctors have been telling
patients to add such vegetables to their
diets because they are beneficial to
overall health and are believed to aid
in combating the disease. But
controlled studies, such as at the
University of Illinois at Urbana, found
that extracts of cruciferous vegetables
act as anti-estrogen and
estrogen agonists. These
findings were published in 2000 by the
American Chemical Society. Other
university studies are available and
indications are that over 300 studies
with similar results took place.
Mercury:
High concentrations of methyl mercury,
an organic form of mercury, have been
found in omega 3 from fish oils rendered
from large, long-lived ocean fish.
Mercury
is a neurotoxin (as in
vaccine-associated autism).
Symptoms include vision impairment, lack
of coordination and numbness which can
lead to seizures and death. High
levels are common in wild salmon.
PCBs & Fish Oil:
Earlier this year there were lawsuits
due to polychlorinated biphenyl
compounds (once used in the electrical
industry)
found in nearly a dozen different fish
oil supplements. Just over thirty
years ago, the EPA banned PCBs
from the USA but this chemical (which
causes cancer and reproductive
toxicity) is
still found in fish from which the oil
is extracted.
The Mayo Clinic web site had the
following to say about fish oils:
“There
is evidence from multiple studies
supporting intake of recommended amounts
of DHA and EPA in the form of dietary
fish or fish oil supplements… however,
high doses may have harmful effects,
such as an increased risk of bleeding.”
It should be noted that fish oil,
cruciferous plants and excitotoxins from
MSG are not included in the AAFCO
requirements published in 2008, yet they
are added to
many pet foods. Pet food
manufacturers are just following
“health trend
hype.”
According to researchers, omega 6
found in vegetable oils, including corn
and safflower, increase estrogen
activity but these oils are also
thought to be pro-inflammatory.
Canola oil (an estrogen inhibitor) is
also believed to be pro-inflammatory.
ii Soybeans
have moved into the top ten allergen
list in the human population. It
is hard to find soybean listed on human
food labels as, like MSG, it masquerades
under many aliases. It is harder
still to pinpoint in cat or dog food
list of ingredients. We can
however, expect some of these
ii Soy Allergy Symptoms
to manifest in our pets. In
addition, for well over 20 years,
soybean in pet
food has been linked to bloat (gastic
torsion) in dogs.
This is not simple gas; torsion is a
crisis situation that requires immediate
emergency vet care.
Soy protein isolate (ISP) is a source of
textured vegetable protein (TVP).
That sounds good but soy actually
hinders protein digestion and causes red
blood cells to stick together
interfering with oxygen intake.
In addition to direct allergic
reactions, it
is widely reported that an alkaline
solution is used to remove fibers from
the soybeans. Fibers are acid washed in
aluminum tanks believed to leach
aluminum, a heavy metal that we may be
absorbing and ingesting from other
sources as well. Aluminum toxicity
has a wide range of symptoms including
colic, rickets, gastro-intestinal
problems, nervousness, anemia, headache,
speech problems, memory loss, softening
of bones, weak/aching muscles, liver and
kidney function decline; the list grows
yearly.
You should also be aware that MSG and
other flavorings are added to human and
pet foods to cover up the soybean taste
but labels usually state only “natural
flavoring.”
Marigold extract
is considered a folk remedy for skin
conditions which must be why some pet
food makers are including it in their
recipes even though the Association of
American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)
does not consider marigold a nutritional
need for cats and dogs.
Marigold extract (calendula)
contains lutein. In the human
population, lutein supplements can cause
a tightening effect on the uterus and
are not recommended while
breast-feeding.
Animal studies indicate that
marigold/lutein is toxic to sperm
and may adversely affect fertilized
eggs.
Symptoms of
too much lutein include indigestion,
chest pain, heartburn, dizziness,
blurred vision, eye irritation, skin
discoloration, and difficulty swallowing
and there may be evidence of renal and
liver overload. Marigold’s best
use is probably as a natural pesticide
ingredient!
AGGRESSIVE, HYPERACTIVE OR OBSESSIVE
CANINE BEHAVIOR
Dog trainers, therapists and
behaviorists are multiplying almost as
fast as canine behavioral problems.
Even carefully bred, perfectly raised
puppies turn into uncontrollable,
destructive pets that often wind up at
the local shelter. Loving house
cats may suddenly exhibit the same
behavior. Some veterinarians, at a
loss for explanation, blame it on the
old standby; genetics. Obviously
that does not explain the crossbreds and
mutts that are affected.
Excitotoxins:
Sounds
like a mad scientist made up that name
but
ii Excitotoxicity
isn’t new. I knew about the often
misdiagnosed side effects in human
foods. I wondered, could a wide
range of excitotoxins be in cat and dog
food and could they cause
uncharacteristic out-of-control behavior
in dogs and cats? Most of the known
adverse effects are related to the human
population, presumably because no one
has studied this in animals, but I
believe the
effect on our pets
can be even greater.
According to Dr, Russell Blalock (well
known neurosurgeon, author, lecturer,
and nutritionist), hidden MSG and many
other specious ingredients are
excitotoxins, which quite
literally excite cells to death.
Brain studies were in the human
population but
effects on pets would be more
significant due to an animal’s lack of
inhibition.
MSG – monosodium glutamate:
Most people now recognize the risk of
MSG in human foods, particularly in
“prepared” foods. Many products
proudly proclaim “no MSG” on the
packaging,
but in many cases there is hidden MSG
in what the label refers to as
"natural flavor". What you may
not realize is that monosodium glutamate
(MSG) has become common in pet foods and
is believed to be mildly addictive to
more than the taste buds. Dogs and
cats “taste” food through their
olfactory senses but they ingest MSG
just as we do and can therefore be
equally affected.
MSG causes hyperactivity and behavioral
aberrations in the human population and
while studies have yet to be done, we
can extrapolate that to our formerly
mild mannered pets.
Once referred to as “hidden MSG” (due to
that additive’s pseudonyms) the
following ingredients were identified by
a leading research group as being
excitotoxins: gelatin, calcium
caseinate, textured protein, sodium
caseinate, yeast nutrient, autolyzed
yeast, hydrolyzed protein, carrageenan,
maltodextrin, malt extract, natural food
flavoring, broth, ultra-pasteurized
(when containing additives), soy sauce
extract, whey protein concentrate,
pectin, and anything protein fortified,
enzyme modified, or seasoned.
These additives are in everything from
soup to ice cream, and increasingly
found in dog and cat foods. Since
the industry keeps coming up with new
names, our best advice is: if you
don’t know what an ingredient is,
research to make sure that it is not
hidden MSG.
You may not reduce the risk of cat or
dog food additives by using human foods.
For example, feeding your pet raw or
cooked chicken you buy for your family
may not be a good idea. Check the
wrapper again. If the chicken
contains “broth” it probably contains
excitotoxins. Associated
Press reports that 30% of US chickens
are injected with additives that
represent up to 15% of the meat’s
weight. This process is called
“plumping” and it is used to make former
“factory farm” laying
hens” more marketable. It may also
be used simply to tip the scales a bit!
One particular brand, Perdue, uses broth
containing “2% or less sea salt,
carrageenan, xantham gum, vinegar, and
natural flavor.” Carrageenan
and the natural flavor are the
culprits. Natural flavor can be
anything from MSG to rosemary (a
neurotoxin) to soy (affects estrogen
production). In addition, this
broth doubles or triples the sodium
content. These additives, like
many others contained in pet and human
food are hidden MSG, now known as
excitotoxins.
When several pets have the same
personality or health changes occurring
at the same time, it is not
coincidental. Unless you have
moved, installed new carpet, treated the
lawn, etc. it is almost certain to be
a result of something that should not be
in their food. For now, we can
only say read the label. It is
time for the FDA to do its job and to
insist on plain English identification
of all food additives whether for human
consumption or in pet foods.
Oprah Winfrey exposed the food industry
and our addiction to fake foods in her
August 2010 show. As Oprah
observed “non-fat foods make you
FAT!”
While her authoritative guests did not
go in depth on additives, the message
was clear. Today’s food supply can
be downright harmful to your health.
It would be wise for pet food companies
to rethink what they are adding to their
products. The cat is out of the
bag. This information will be read
by a quarter-million pet owners this
month. It is going to become
harder to market pet food contaminated
by unneeded, unwanted, and potentially
dangerous ingredients!
http://www.thedogpress.com/DogFood/Beserk-Behavior-Excitotoxin-10092_Liquorman.asp
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