Dietary Ursolic Acid Supplementation Induces Beneficial Changes in Skeletal Muscle mRNA Expression and Improves Functional Mobility in Older Cats with Sarcopenia: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Cats frequently lose mobility when they become older, ill, or injured, leading to additional impairments in health and quality of life. To help address this problem, a dietary supplement for cats containing ursolic acid was tested. Ursolic acid is a natural dietary compound that promotes muscle health and mobility in several non-feline species. A 60-day proof-of-concept efficacy study of ursolic acid dietary supplementation was conducted in older domestic shorthair cats with sarcopenia (age-related skeletal muscle atrophy). In feline skeletal muscle, 12 mg of ursolic acid per day generated beneficial changes in skeletal muscle mRNA expression, including repression of mRNAs that promote muscle atrophy and weakness and induction of mRNAs that promote muscle health. Furthermore, ursolic acid generated significant improvements in several important measures of feline mobility, including jumping, playing with toys, rising from a resting position, and transitioning from a standing position to a sitting or lying position. These findings identify ursolic acid supplementation as a new nutritional approach for promoting beneficial molecular and functional mobility outcomes in cats.