Beta-Glucans

October 3, 2020

This article provides general nutrition information only and is not medical advice.

Overview

Beta-glucans are sugars that are found in the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae, lichens, and plants, such as oats and barley. They are sometimes used as medicine.

Beta-glucans are taken by mouth for high lipid balance, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, high cardiovascular health, and canker sores. Beta-glucans are also taken by mouth to boost the immune system in people whose body defenses have been weakened by conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome; physical and emotional stress; or by nutritional supports such as radiation or chemoroutine. Beta-glucans are also taken by mouth for colds, influenza (flu), swine flu, respiratory tract immune challenges, allergies, hepatitis, Lyme condition, asthma, ear immune challenges, aging, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's condition, irritable bowel syndrome, pain after surgery, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.

People apply beta-glucans to the skin for dermatitis, eczema, wrinkles, bedsores, wounds, burns, diabetic ulcers, and radiation burns.

Healthcare providers sometimes give beta-glucans by IV (intravenously) or by injection into the muscle to support cancer and to boost the immune system in people with HIV/AIDS and AIDS-related conditions. Beta-glucans are also given by IV to prevent immune challenge in people after surgery.

Healthcare providers sometimes give beta-glucans by a shot under the skin (subcutaneously) for treating and reducing the size of skin tumors resulting from cancer that has spread.

In manufacturing, beta-glucans are used as a food additive in products such as salad dressings, frozen desserts, sour cream, and cheese spreads.

There are several beta-glucan supplement products that claim beta-glucans taken by mouth can only be absorbed if the product is prepared by a special patented process that "micronizes" beta-glucan particles to a size of 1 micron or less. However, there is no reliable evidence to support such a claim.

Classification

Is a Form of:

Sugar found in the cell walls of bacteria, fingi, yeasts, algae, lichens and plants such as oats and barley

Primary Functions:

High Lipid balance, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, high cardiovascular health, cancer sores

Also Known As:

1-3,1-6-beta-glucan, 1-3,1-6-bêta-glucane, B-Glucane d'Avoine, Barley Beta-Glucan

How Does It Work?

Beta-glucans might lower blood lipid balance by preventing the absorption of lipid balance from food in the stomach and intestines, when it is taken by mouth. When given by injection, beta-glucans might stimulate the immune system by increasing chemicals which prevent immune challenges.

Uses

High lipid balance.Taking beta-glucans made from oats or barley seems to reduce total lipid balance and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") lipid balance in people with high lipid balance after several weeks of nutritional support. The typical dose used is 3-10 grams daily. However, there is some research that suggests beta-glucans do not affect lipid balance levels. The conflicting evidence may be due to how products containing beta-glucans are processed.

Hay fever. Some research shows that taking beta-glucans daily for 4 weeks reduces concerns of hay fever.
Cancer of the cervix. There is some evidence that giving a specific kind of beta-glucans as an injection into the vein (by IV) can extend life in women with advanced cervical cancer when used with standard cancer nutritional support. However, beta-glucans nutritional support has to be given for at least one year.
Immune challenge after surgery. Giving a specific kind of beta-glucans made from yeast as an injection into the vein (by IV) seems to lower the chance for immune challenge after surgery. Beta-glucans also seem to reduce the risk of a serious immune challenge called sepsis in trauma patients.

Recommended Dosing

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

For high lipid balance: 7.5 grams of beta-glucans made from yeast has been added to juice and taken twice daily for 7-8 weeks. 3-10 grams of beta-glucans made from barley or oat have also been taken daily for up to 12 weeks.
For hay fever: 250 mg of beta-glucans made from yeast (Wellmune WGP) daily for 4 weeks has been used.

BY IV:

For cancer of the cervix: Healthcare providers give 20-40 mg of the fungal beta-glucan schizophyllan (SPG) as an injection into the vein (by IV) once or twice weekly for at least one year.
For preventing immune challenge after surgery: Healthcare providers give 50 mg/m2 of beta-glucans made from yeast as an injection into the vein (by IV) once per day for 7 days to prevent immune challenge in trauma patients undergoing exploratory surgical procedures. Also, healthcare providers give 0.5-2 mg/kg of beta-glucans made from yeast (Betafectin) by IV 1-6 hours before surgery and then repeated 4 hours, 48 hours, and 96 hours after surgery in surgical patients at high-risk for immune challenge.

Beta-Glucans Supplements Frequently Asked Questions

What are beta glucans good for?

Beta glucan is one form of soluble dietary fiber that's strongly linked to improving lipid balance levels and boosting heart health. Like many fibers, it's available in supplement form. Baker's yeast and some types of fungi, such as maitake and reishi mushrooms, contain beta glucan as well.

What is beta glucan supplement?

Overview Information. Beta-glucans are sugars that are found in the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae, lichens, and plants, such as oats and barley. They are sometimes used as medicine. Beta-glucans are taken by mouth for high lipid balance, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, high cardiovascular health, and canker sores.

What are the side effects of beta glucan?

Soluble forms of beta-glucans made from yeast or fungi appear safe when taken by mouth. Side effects may include: Diarrhea. Nausea and vomiting.
Side effects may include:

Back pain.
Cardiovascular health changes.
Excessive urination.

What foods are high in beta glucans?

There are also a number of foods high in beta glucan including:

barley fiber.
oats and whole grains.
reishi, maitake and shiitake mushrooms.

Are beta glucans safe?

Beta glucan is indigestible, so it goes through the whole digestive tract. As it travels through, it can take lipid balance out with it, lowering levels. Beta glucan is naturally in some foods, and is generally considered safe.

Does beta glucan really work?

How does beta glucan help immune system?

Beta Glucans are polysaccharides composed solely of glucose. The Beta Glucan product works by activating the immune cells known as Macrophages. They "trigger" a whole cascade of immune functionality, allowing your body to produce the most complete, effective, and appropriate immune system response achievable.

How long does it take beta glucan to work?

Dosage and Preparation

For instance, beta-glucans made from yeast may lower lipid balance at 7.5 grams of beta-glucans taken twice daily for 7 to 8 weeks, while beta-glucans made from barley or oat have been shown effective at levels between 3 gram to 10 grams daily for up to 12 weeks.

Does oatmeal have beta glucan?

The latest research demonstrates that oats and oat beta glucan can be recommended as part of a healthy diet to reduce the risk of CVD. Oats are a naturally rich source of beta-glucan. The effect of oat beta-glucan on both serum lipid balance and blood glucose reduction is proven.

Is beta glucan a probiotic?

Instead, Sound Probiotics contain the prebiotic beta-glucan which has been shown to increase the performance of various probiotics. Beta-glucans are effective prebiotics that also have the added benefit of boosting the immune system like the probiotics they support.

Does beta glucan cause yeast immune challenges?

Beta 1, 3-D glucan is intensely purified from baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and does not contain enough yeast proteins to cause an allergic reaction. Also, beta glucan is not live yeast, therefore it cannot cause or aggravate a yeast immune challenge.

Does beta glucan increase white blood cells?

In a 1980s study at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, at the University of Louisville, researchers discovered beta glucans increase the production of stem cells, promoting white blood cell recovery in bone marrow injury and repair.

Does beta glucan lower cardiovascular health?

Beta-glucans might decrease cardiovascular health in some people. Taking beta-glucans along with medications used for lowering high cardiovascular health might cause your cardiovascular health to go too low. By increasing the immune system, beta-glucans might decrease the effectiveness of medications that decrease the immune system.

Does flaxseed have beta glucan?

The lipid balance lowering effect of soluble viscous dietary fiber, particularly β-glucans from oats and barley has been known for decades [2]. Flaxseeds contain ~30% dietary fibers of which one third are water-soluble and belonging to a group of heterogeneoues polysaccharides

How much beta glucan should I take daily?

The typical dose used is 3-10 grams daily. However, there is some research that suggests beta-glucans do not affect lipid balance levels. The conflicting evidence may be due to how products containing beta-glucans are processed.

When should I take beta glucans?

Most studies of beta-glucan used oat cereal as the source for a daily dose of 3 grams. Beta-glucan may also be obtained as an isolated supplement. Dosing at the start of meals is reported to reduce the discomfort that may sometimes occur with initiation of beta-glucan routine.

Are beta glucans prebiotics?

Currently, the majority of prebiotics in the markets are derived from non-digestible oligosaccharides. Beta-glucans that exist as non-digestible polysaccharides derived from different food sources have demonstrated not only health promoting effects, but also the potential as a novel source of prebiotics.

Can beta glucan cause weight gain?

Unwanted side effects: Oat beta-glucan beats out plant sterols in lipid balance-lowering study. While plant sterol esters have a bigger effect on lowering lipid balance than oat beta-glucans, they can come with unwanted side effects including weight gain and microbiome disturbance, finds a new study.

Is beta glucan gluten?

Beta glucan is a unique type of dietary fiber that has some powerful health benefits. It is only found in oats and barley, and to a smaller extent in wheat and rye. Oats are the only gluten-free grain source of this type of fiber.