Uraemic toxins – The body’s own toxins

Cats love meat. And they have good reason to.

The proteins and amino acids in the meat are vital to the cat. Even low-protein diet cat food contains essential amino acids from which uraemic toxins can be produced.

This is not a problem for the cat as long as its kidneys perform their detoxification function adequately so that any uraemic toxins produced are excreted. It’s when the uraemic toxins (such as indoxyl sulphate and para-cresyl sulphate) accumulate in the blood that problems arise for the cat.

Both of these uraemic toxins are known for their ability to cause direct damage to the kidneys and other organs, which then function less efficiently.

Urämische Toxine bei Katzen

Uraemic toxins are generated when essential amino acids are digested.

Cats, unlike dogs, are obligate carnivores. Meat is their most important source of energy.

During digestion, the protein in the meat is broken down into its individual components, the amino acids. Intestinal bacteria, which count among the natural gut flora (= intestinal microbiome), break down the amino acids into precursors of uraemic toxins. These precursors are then resorbed and pass via the liver to the kidneys. The uraemic toxins are poisonous degradation products of the protein metabolism which the cat’s body is unable to metabolise so that it has to excrete them via the kidneys.

In healthy cats, this is not a problem, since the kidneys continuously excrete uraemic toxins. If the kidney function is impaired, however, e.g. in older cats, uraemic toxins – indoxyl sulphate in particular, here – remain and accumulate in the body.

That is when their harmful effect can come into play.

Indoxyl sulphate – the kidney enemy in the cat’s body

The most relevant uraemic toxin is indoxyl sulphate. It is created by the microbial degradation of tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that occurs especially in meat. The kidneys filter out indoxyl sulphate into the urine so that it leaves the cat’s body with the urine.

In older cats, the kidney function is impaired. The ageing kidneys become less and less able to excrete the uraemic toxins produced every day. As a result, the indoxyl sulphate accumulates in the blood, which can have a detrimental effect on kidney health: It is well known that indoxyl sulphate can cause direct damage to the kidney and other organs.

Urämische Toxine - Nierenfeind

Indoxyl sulphate – the link between intestines and kidneys

Indoxyl sulphate belongs to what is known as the gut-kidney axis.

The gut-kidney axis refers to the connection between uraemic toxins that occur naturally in the intestine during bacterial protein digestion and their negative effects on kidney health.

Oral dialysis

By reducing protein, the amount of uraemic toxins is also reduced. Cats, however, are dependent on their food having a high protein content. But from essential amino acids, which the cat food must contain, indoxyl sulphate is generated.

That’s why this is an innovative approach, oral dialysis, binding large quantities of the precursor of indoxyl sulphate (= indole) right where it arises in the intestine and excreting it directly via the faeces.

Porus® One was developed with that in mind: Porus® One breaches the gut-kidney axis, binds indole right where it arises, in the intestine, and excretes it with the faeces so that it remains harmless and cannot give rise to any indoxyl sulphate. Elimination of indoxyl sulphate and its harmful effects relieves strain on the kidneys.

Porus® One – Shields the blow to the kidneys of the cat.