Concept of Glandular Therapies for Pets
Glandular therapy is the practice of using whole animal tissues and glands to support or stimulate the proper functioning of a pet’s internal organs.The theory of glandular therapy is that the “like” necessitates “like” treatment. For example, with kidney disease, the patient needs kidney tissue. Glandulars, most commonly derived from cows, sheep and pigs, contain vitamins, minerals, peptides, enzymes, and other nutrients, specific to each organ. Organs most commonly used include the pituitary, thyroid, live, heart, kidney, pancreas or thymus.
Ancient cultures have prized internal organs for their health benefits. They considered them “functional foods” that have positive effects on health and wellness. Historically, they have been cherished as the most valuable parts of animals used for food.
Glandular therapy uses whole animal tissues (organs primarily) to heal or enhance the functioning of the body’s corresponding tissues. When ingested, these tissues release valuable minerals, vitamins, enzymes, and other nutrients that are specific to promote health of that particular tissue. Although not technically glands, organs of the body are commonly referred to as “glandular” when taken as supplements.
This type of therapy is based on a “like cures like” theory. Cells are attracted to and nourish “like cells” even if they are from a different species. For example, if someone with a damaged or unbalanced liver eats liver, they are ingesting nutrients that can provide their body with the specific combination of amino acids and other building blocks to rebuild functional liver cells.
Many holistic veterinarians use glandular supplements in combination with other holistic modalities such as Acupuncture, Reiki, Herbals, Flower Essences, and Food Therapy. The glandular supplements work synergistically with the holistic modalities to promote self-healing.
Glandular therapy (cell therapy, tissue therapy) is the use of whole animal tissues or extracts of these tissues for health maintenance and the therapy of mild health problems typically involving the glands of the body. Glandular therapy is “tissue specific.” In other words, liver extracts benefit the liver, thyroid extracts benefit the thyroid gland, adrenal extracts benefit the adrenal gland, and so forth. Current research supports this concept that the glandular supplements have specific activity and contain active substances that can exert physiologic effects. While skeptics question the ability of the digestive tract to absorb the large protein macromolecules found in glandular extracts, evidence exists that this is possible. Therefore, these glandular macromolecules can be absorbed from the digestive tract into the circulatory system and may exert their biologic effects on their target tissues.
Here are some of the indications for using glandulars in dogs and cats:
- Adrenal – allergies, chronic stress/illness, low blood sugar, frequent infections
- Brain – epilepsy, behavioral problems, nerve problems
- Heart – cardiomyopathy and other heart problems
- Kidney – kidney dysfunctions
- Liver – liver problems, anemia, diabetes, low blood sugar, debilitation, general health
- Spleen – poor immune function, chronic infections, tumors, poor digestion
- Thymus – poor immune function, chronic infections, tumors, mange
- Thyroid – improper thyroid function
- Ovary and Uterus combination – Urinary incontinence in spayed female dogs
- Duodenum, Stomach, Intestines – digestive problems
- Lung – Respiratory problems
- Pancreas – pancreatitis, diabetes, digestive problems
Hormonal influence
There are a number of theories about exactly how glandulars work. The earliest medical hypothesis was that the glandular preparations supplied the hormones that the patient’s damaged glands failed to produce themselves. This led to the isolation of those hormones and the manufacture of their synthetic equivalents, and was how the drugs hydrocortisone and prednisone were ultimately discovered.
- Researchers found they could maintain the lives of adrenalectomized cats by giving the cats adrenal extracts. (In fact, the Pottenger cat study, which most raw feeders are familiar with, was originally designed to help Pottenger regulate the potency of an adrenal extract he was manufacturing. The nutrition study evolved out of his observations of the adrenalectomized research cats.)
- After discovering that the extracts could keep the cats alive, the key hormone cortisol was isolated. From this discovery, scientists developed synthetic hydrocortisone and prednisone to mimic the activity of naturally occurring cortisol. However, patients who receive these very narrow-focus drugs (which lack all the other potential activity of the glandular tissue) often experience harmful long- and short-term side effects. Incorporating the whole tissue, or extracts of tissue, must therefore have additional value.
- It turns out that Paraclesus’ thinking was right on target. It turns out that cells are attracted to and nourish “like” cells – even if they are from a different species. By tracing stained or radioactive cells, research has shown repeatedly that the injected cells accumulate in the like tissue of the recipient.
- For example, one study conducted in 1979 by T. Starzyl, showed that when animals with chemically damaged thyroids were given thyroid cells, there was a marked regeneration of the damaged thyroids.
- In 1931, Paul Niehans the modern discoverer of cell therapy (injection of tissue into a patient rather than oral ingestion) came upon the treatment quite by mistake. A colleague of his had accidentally removed the parathyroid glands from his patient. Dr. Niehans was called upon to transplant bovine parathyroid glands into the woman. Because the woman was convulsing so violently and concerned that she wouldn’t survive the transplant surgery, he quickly sliced up the glands into minute pieces and injected her with them. The woman not only recovered, but lived another 30 years.
“Tissue decoys”-
Another interesting benefit of glandulars is their use as an apparent tissue decoy. In 1947, Royal Lee (founder of Standard Process, a well-respected supplement manufacturer) and William Hanson published a book, Protomorphology, Study of Cell Autoregulation, in which they presented their theory that when taken orally, protomorphogens (PMG) – portions of cellular chromosomes – speed the elimination of tissue antibodies. This concept is now referred to as oral tolerization and is being researched extensively in the treatment of the human autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, type I diabetes, uveitis, and multiple sclerosis.
- “When the body is attacking itself and you give a PMG decoy, the body will attack [the decoy] rather than the organ,” explains Arthur Young, DVM, CHO, a holistic veterinarian based in Stuart, Florida. By stopping the autoimmune attack on the body’s own organs, you give those tissues a chance to recover.
- This is what contemporary researchers are finding with their experiments using glandulars to combat autoimmune diseases. In the research on MS, when bovine myelin is administered orally, the autoimmune process against the body?s myelin basic protein is suppressed.
- Several studies show that radiolabeled cells, when injected into the body, accumulate in their target tissues. The accumulation is more rapid by traumatized body organs or glands than healthy tissues, which may indicate an increased requirement for those ingredients that are contained in the glandular supplements. For example, animals with thyroid cell damage showed rapid uptake of thyroid cells with active regeneration of the damaged thyroids, and liver extracts that were infused into animals caused liver regeneration.
- In addition to targeting specific damaged organs and glands, supplementation with glandular supplements may also provide specific nutrients to the pet. For example, glands contain hormones in addition to a number of other chemical constituents. These low doses of crude hormones are suitable for any pet needing hormone replacement, but especially for those pets with mild disease or those that simply need gentle organ support. Pure chemically produced, full-strength hormones, while beneficial in selected pets requiring a quick response to a disease, would not be desired (due to potential side effects) for long-term use in most pets.
- Glandular supplements also function as a source of enzymes. Pets with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency need additional pancreatic enzymes to digest food and absorb nutrients from the diet. The use of pancreatic extracts is an accepted “conventional” therapy for this particular disorder. It is possible that all glandular materials provide enzymes that encourage the pet to produce hormones or help the pet maintain health or fight disease.
- Finally, glandular supplements are sources of active lipids and steroids that may be of benefit to pets. For example, Coenzyme Q10 is a commonly recommended antioxidant for pets with, among other problems, heart disease. The richest sources of this vital enzyme are whole food tissues such as heart, liver, spleen, or kidney. Practitioners who practice glandular therapy would prescribe a glandular supplement (possibly in addition to chemically produced Coenzyme Q10, which might be needed on a short-term basis for pets with mild heart disease) that would provide the pet with “natural” Coenzyme Q10.
Compiled & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)
Image-Courtesy-Google
Reference-On Request.
