ISSUE FOCUS 48 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE December 2025 Once considered non-essential, nucleotides are increasingly recognized for their impact on growth, vitality, and stress adaptation. Growing research highlights their role in supporting immune health, recovery, and cellular resilience in cats and dogs. As the pet food industry continues to embrace functional ingredients and evidence-based nutrition, nucleotides have entered the spotlight. Once thought of as minor cellular components, these small yet powerful molecules are gaining recognition for the role they play in immune resilience, growth, and recovery in cats and dogs. WHY NUCLEOTIDES MATTER FOR PET DIETS Nucleotides are the structural units of DNA and RNA – the very molecules that carry genetic information and enable every process of life. They also serve as energy carriers through adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and contribute to cell signaling and enzyme function. Essentially, they are vital for cell division, protein synthesis, and tissue repair. While cats and dogs produce nucleotides naturally, their ability to do so is limited under certain physiological conditions. Periods of growth, reproduction, illness, stress, or intense activity increase the body’s demand for rapid cell renewal and immune function – situations where the body’s own production may fall short. This is why researchers are increasingly referring to nucleotides as ‘conditionally essential nutrients’ for pets, especially during times of metabolic or immune stress. MEETING HIGHER DEMANDS Building on this understanding, growing evidence from studies in cats and broader animal nutrition suggests that dietary nucleotides can support immune response, intestinal integrity, and overall vitality in pets. Supplementation with nucleotides has been linked to improved antibody production and better resilience following stress or infection. As pets live longer and lead more active lives, these benefits are becoming increasingly relevant for maintaining immune balance, energy metabolism, and recovery. A 2013 study published in Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology showed that dietary nucleotide supplementation enhances the immune response in cats, suggesting a direct link between nucleotide intake and disease resistance. Similar effects have been observed in other animals, which also reinforces the importance of dietary sources at times of intense growth, activity, or recovery. NUCLEOTIDES GAIN INCREASED ATTENTION IN FUNCTIONAL PET NUTRITION Tonje Elisabeth Dominguez Director Specialty Animal Nutrition Products Aker Qrill Company
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