The data of Table 3 are presented as ratio of the L-carnitine blood level at the indicated time point to the L-carnitine measured at the beginning of the study. The data of Table 4 demonstrate that after 180 days of feeding the test cats the Anti-Aging Food of Table 1 resulted in an increased circulating levels of L-carnitine in those cats as compared to the levels observed in the control population of cats fed the Control Food.
[0091] Accordingly, the above data demonstrate that feeding an Anti-Aging Food of the invention will prevent and/or treat age-related conditions of companion animals, here cats, in need thereof, including age-related increases in body fat, age-related decreases in body lean mass (muscle and bone), as well as age-related increases in total body weight.
Example 3: Improved Renal Function
[0092] An age-related condition of animals, e.g., cats and dogs, is a decrease in kidney function. As demonstrated in this Example, feeding cats the Anti-Aging Food of Table 1 resulted in improved renal function, both with respect to an increase in glomerular filtration rate as well as with respect to a decrease in circulating creatinine levels. The data for the former effect are presented in Table 4.