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Pet food and supplement companies are expanding postbiotic products beyond digestion into areas such as joint mobility, skin health and immunity. The category is easier to incorporate into some products than live probiotics, but consumer familiarity is low and a review of 69 studies found no significant difference from placebo in the animal results it analyzed.
Pet food and supplement companies are extending postbiotic products beyond digestive health, exploring uses linked to joints, skin and immunity as owners show interest in preventive care. The expansion is a product-development trend, not proof that these ingredients deliver the proposed benefits: evidence in pets remains limited, and consumer understanding of postbiotics is low, according to a GlobalPETS report.
Postbiotics are described in the report as inanimate microorganisms or their components that may provide health benefits when consumed. Unlike probiotics, which rely on live microorganisms, postbiotics do not need those organisms to remain alive through production. Industry participants say that can make them easier to include in powders, extruded treats, and dry or wet food.
ADM, a US nutrition company, expanded its postbiotic portfolio earlier this year with an application aimed at joint health. James Kyffin, ADM’s global director of pet and animal wellbeing, told GlobalPETS that research increasingly points to possible links between the gut microbiome and joint function through immune and inflammatory pathways. The proposed connection is often described as the gut-joint axis; the report does not establish that postbiotic products improve joint outcomes in pets.
In May, British veterinary joint supplement brand YuMOVE launched a product combining prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics. The company said the ingredients are intended to support gut balance, stool quality and natural defenses. YuMOVE innovation manager Vish Thapar told GlobalPETS the combination was designed as a more comprehensive approach to digestive health. This product remains a company formulation and should not be read as independent evidence of effectiveness.
New Uses Outpace Consumer Familiarity
The expansion matters because it could change where postbiotics appear in the pet market: from ingredients associated mainly with digestion to components promoted for broader preventive health. Their processing advantages may also make them practical for manufacturers seeking to add biotic ingredients to a wider range of foods and treats.
But the commercial opportunity is arriving ahead of broad public understanding. Data cited from the International Probiotics Association (IPA), a nonprofit that advocates for these compounds, found that 8% of pet owners viewed postbiotics as beneficial, compared with 32% for probiotics and 17% for prebiotics. The report also says fewer than 25% of owners claimed a good understanding of the terms. That gap leaves companies with an education challenge as well as a product-development one.
ADM’s consumer research, as reported by GlobalPETS, found that 71% of owners globally actively seek products supporting pet longevity, and 65% look specifically for products containing biotics. Those figures indicate consumer interest in wellness products, but they do not establish demand for postbiotics specifically or show that the ingredients extend pets’ lives.
pet postbiotic supplements for joint health
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From Gut Support to Broader Claims
Postbiotics have been promoted primarily for digestive support, while current product development is testing whether they could be relevant to other health areas. Companies are also combining them with complementary ingredients rather than relying on postbiotics alone. YuMOVE’s May product, for example, pairs all three categories—prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics—in a digestive supplement.
Evidence cited in the report comes from different kinds of research. ADM’s preclinical studies have identified possible effects involving intestinal permeability, fat accumulation and muscle structure. US ingredient company Kingdom has studied stool consistency in dogs. These are company-linked research efforts, so their findings need to be interpreted with that commercial interest in mind.
Separately, researchers at Jeonbuk National University in South Korea reported that a bioactive postbiotic could reduce expression of inflammatory cytokines linked to itching and skin irritation and improve skin barrier health in dogs. The report also describes a meta-study by researchers at Complutense University of Madrid that reviewed 69 studies published through October 2024. Its analysis found no statistically significant differences between animals receiving postbiotics and those receiving placebo, while noting potential benefits suggested by evidence in other species.
“Research increasingly suggests changes in the gut microbiome can influence joint function through immune and inflammatory pathways.”
— James Kyffin, ADM’s global director of pet and animal wellbeing, speaking to GlobalPETS
Clinical Benefits Remain Unsettled
The main uncertainty is whether postbiotics provide measurable benefits for pets in the newer areas companies are targeting. The Madrid review’s finding of no significant difference from placebo in the animal studies it analyzed limits what can currently be concluded. Its authors also referred to possible benefits supported by research in other species, but those findings do not confirm effects in companion animals.
Some of the emerging studies were funded or conducted by companies with a commercial interest in postbiotics. The GlobalPETS report notes this conflict of interest and says more independent, well-designed clinical studies in pets are needed. It does not provide enough detail to compare specific product formulations, doses, study durations or outcomes across the research described. Nor does the available material establish how widely the new applications are being adopted by pet owners.
More Pet Trials Needed
The next meaningful test for the category is whether further research can confirm the proposed benefits in companion animals. That means independent, well-designed clinical studies that assess specific formulations and outcomes, rather than relying only on preclinical findings or evidence from other species. The report does not identify a specific upcoming trial, publication date or regulatory milestone.
Companies are likely to continue developing products and explaining how postbiotics differ from probiotics and prebiotics. For readers considering a supplement for an animal, product claims should be distinguished from established clinical evidence; questions about a pet’s health or diet are best discussed with a veterinarian. For now, commercial experimentation is advancing faster than the evidence base.
Key Questions
What are postbiotics?
GlobalPETS describes them as inanimate microorganisms or their components that may deliver health benefits when consumed. They differ from probiotics, which depend on live microorganisms.
What health areas are companies targeting?
Alongside digestive health, companies are exploring applications linked to joint mobility, skin health and immunity. These areas are being investigated; the reported developments do not confirm that products work for those purposes.
What did the review of 69 studies find?
The Madrid researchers’ review, covering studies published through October 2024, found no significant differences between animals treated with postbiotics and those given placebo in the results it analyzed. The authors also noted possible benefits suggested by research in other species.
Why are manufacturers interested in postbiotics?
Because they do not rely on keeping live microorganisms viable, industry participants say postbiotics can be easier to incorporate into foods and treats, including powders and extruded products.
Are postbiotics proven to improve pet health?
The material reported by GlobalPETS does not establish broad clinical benefits in pets. More independent, well-designed studies are needed to confirm the effects being explored.
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