At Stratum Nutrition®, we spend a lot of time talking about science.

Clinical research. Mechanisms of action. Ingredients. Biomarkers.

But sometimes, the science becomes a little more personal.

For Marie Parks, Ingredient Science Specialist at Stratum Nutrition, that happened through a dog named Gio.

Marie is one of Gio’s sitters, which means she has spent plenty of time getting to know his personality, his habits and the way he moves. So, when Gio began receiving NEM® brand eggshell membrane as part of his joint-health routine, Marie had an opportunity to see an ingredient she knew professionally from an entirely different perspective.

Seeing Joint Support Through a Different Lens

Changes in a dog’s mobility are not always dramatic.

Sometimes, they are found in the everyday moments, the way a dog gets up, walks across a room, handles a step or simply moves through a familiar routine.

Marie already knew the science behind NEM®. She understood its research and its role in joint-health support. But watching Gio gave her a chance to see that science outside of a study or research paper.

Her reaction to what she observed was simple:

“It was absolutely amazing.”

But Gio’s story did not stop with Marie’s observations.

The experience also made an impression on the person who knows Gio best: his owner.

After seeing the support NEM® provided as part of Gio’s joint-health routine, his owner became a believer in the ingredient herself. What started with one dog eventually grew beyond Gio, with his owner beginning to provide NEM® to other dogs and cats in her care for joint support as well. That progression, from trying an ingredient with one animal to having enough confidence in it to use it with others, is what makes Gio’s story especially meaningful.

The experience is personal.

The ingredient behind it is supported by science.

What Makes NEM® Different?

NEM® is Stratum Nutrition’s branded, food-sourced eggshell membrane ingredient designed to deliver comprehensive joint-health support.

Eggshell membrane provides a naturally occurring matrix that includes collagen along with glycosaminoglycans such as hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate—components associated with joint and connective tissue structure.[3]

NEM® is also partially hydrolyzed through a patented, gentle, enzymatic process. That process helps begin breaking down the fibrous eggshell membrane matrix so its naturally occurring components can become more bioaccessible.[3]

For canine applications, Stratum Nutrition positions NEM® around three important areas: joint comfort, flexibility and cartilage protection. The recommended daily amount for dogs is 150 mg per 25 pounds of body weight.[1]

For pet product formulators, that means an ingredient backed by research while offering a relatively small daily serving, an important consideration when developing products for animals.

But the science goes further than what is inside the ingredient.

NEM® has also been studied specifically in dogs.

Canine Research Behind the Story

One of the most compelling aspects of NEM® is that the pet-health story is supported by published veterinary research.

A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated NEM® in dogs with persistent suboptimal joint function. Dogs received approximately 6 mg of NEM® per pound of body weight once daily for six weeks.[2]

The results provided both subjective and objective measures of joint-health support.

After just one week, dogs receiving NEM® showed a significant improvement versus placebo in owner-assessed joint function, with a 20.5% treatment response, as well as a significant 19.4% improvement in owner-assessed joint pain.[2]

By the end of six weeks, researchers also found a significant 26.8% improvement in quality of life compared with placebo and a significant improvement in veterinarian-assessed joint pain.[2]

Those findings help give scientific context to what people like Marie and Gio’s owner can observe in everyday life.

Because, as Marie noted:

“It’s hard to ask dogs how they feel.”

Dogs cannot tell us that getting up feels different or explain that they are more comfortable moving around.

Instead, their owners, caregivers, and veterinarians have to observe it.

That is why the canine study is particularly valuable: it combined observations from dog owners and veterinary professionals with an objective measure of what was happening within the joint.

Looking Beyond How a Dog Feels

Researchers also evaluated CTX-II, a biomarker associated with cartilage breakdown.

After six weeks, dogs supplemented with NEM® demonstrated a significant 47.9% improvement in serum CTX-II compared with placebo.[2]

That adds another dimension to NEM®’s joint-health story.

Supporting joints is not simply about how an animal appears to move today. Cartilage is an important part of long-term joint function, which is why NEM®’s canine research evaluated both noticeable changes in pain and function, and a measurable biomarker associated with cartilage degradation.

For brands developing products for the growing pet-health market, that combination of joint comfort, flexibility and cartilage support provides a compelling point of differentiation.[1]

For Gio’s owner, however, the story was much simpler.

She saw a difference.

And that changed the way she thought about the ingredient.

From One Dog to a Believer in NEM®

There is something powerful about watching science translate into a real-life experience.

Marie knew the science behind NEM® before Gio began taking it. Seeing Gio gave her a different perspective on an ingredient she works with professionally.

For Gio’s owner, the experience went even further.

Seeing Gio’s response gave her enough confidence in NEM® to begin incorporating it into the joint-support routines of her other dogs and cats as well.

That is where Gio’s story brings the science and the personal experience together.

At Stratum Nutrition, we believe research-backed ingredients should ultimately translate into something meaningful.

For pets, that means supporting joint comfort and mobility so they can keep doing the things that make them who they are—walking, exploring, playing, and simply being part of the family.

For Marie, Gio offered a chance to watch the science she works with every day to become something tangible.

For Gio’s owner, seeing that experience firsthand helped create a believer.

The science gave NEM® credibility. Gio gave it a face.

And sometimes, seeing really is believing.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Sources

1 Stratum Nutrition. NEM® Pet. Product information covering canine joint-health applications, including joint comfort, flexibility, cartilage protection and a recommended daily amount of 150 mg per 25 lbs.

2 Ruff, K.J., Kopp, K.J., Von Behrens, P., Lux, M., Mahn, M., & Back, M. (2016). Effectiveness of NEM® brand eggshell membrane in the treatment of suboptimal joint function in dogs: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Veterinary Medicine: Research and Reports, 7, 113–121. DOI: 10.2147/VMRR.S101842. 

3 Stratum Nutrition. NEM® – Superior Eggshell Membrane for Joint Health. Background on NEM® composition, naturally occurring collagen and glycosaminoglycans, and its patented partial-hydrolysis process.