Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Dear Terry, “I have a 10 year old yellow lab. He has been slowing down steadily and is very sore after prolonged exercise. The vet says there is nothing wrong with him except old age. Is the curcumin-based pain formula you often recommend safe for him or is there a supplement that you would suggest for aging pets to keep comfortable? Thank you.” —Ernie R., Kalamazoo, MI A. Dear Ernie, Yes, the curcumin-boswellia-DLPA-nattokinase pain formula is fantastic for dogs. I would start with 1 capsule a day. If you want to go up to 2 capsules a day, it’s fine. We have two Australian Shepherds and we give them this formula every day along with a few other supplements to keep them in good health. It works beautifully. The secret behind why it works so well is absorption. Plain curcumin is poorly absorbable, but there is an excellent micronized curcumin that is then blended with essential turmeric oils that has published human absorption studies. These studies show a 7 to 10 fold absorption over plain curcumin. Do not use curcumin products with piperine. Piperine is a black pepper extract that interacts with most prescription drugs and enhances the absorption of dietary toxins. Since dogs can get into garbage and do occasionally eat weeds, they may be exposed to more dietary toxins than humans, so a product with piperine is especially problematic for them. As for the boswellia component, make sure it is 10 to 15% AKBA, as this is an indicator of potency, and make sure less than 5% beta boswellic acid, as this is a compound that actually increases inflammation if it is higher than 5%. Healthy regards! Terry . . . Naturally