Beta glucan is a naturally derived polysaccharide which has been studied for its anti-tumor and immuno-stimulating properties.

Source Naturals Beta Glucan

Beta Glucan is a unique polysaccharide composed of glucose molecules extracted and purified from the cell wall of common baker's yeast  Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  Beta glucan is used to maintain or stimulate the effectiveness of the immune system.  Animal  and human cell culture studies have shown that beta glucan can stimulate several aspects of immune function, such as phagocytosis and interleukin production.  Source Naturals Beta Glucan uses a purification process that removes the manoproteins and yeast residues that may reduce the effectiveness of beta glucan.

Immune system and beta glucan
The carbohydrate polymers known as beta-1,3-d-glucans exert potent effects on the immune system - stimulating anti-tumor and antimicrobial activity, for example - by binding to receptors on macrophages and other white blood cells and activating them. Although beta-glucans are known to bind to receptors, such as complement receptor 3, there is evidence that another beta-glucan receptor is present on macrophages.

Conditions where Beta Glucan may be effective
Beta glucan may be helpful in  diabetes. The addition of beta-glucan predictably reduces the Glycemic Index. In a 50 g carbohydrate portion each gram of beta-glucan reduces the GI by 4 units, making it a useful functional food component for reducing postprandial glycemia.

Beta Glucan, 250 mg., 60 Tablets Source Naturals

Beta-Glucan study for diabetes patients
Sweeteners and beta-glucans improve metabolic and anthropometrics variables in well controlled type 2 diabetic patients.
Am J Ther. 2003 Nov-Dec;10(6):438-43. Reyna NY. University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
A total of 16 male, well controlled type 2 diabetes patients were divided into two groups of eight; one group received the diet based on the American Diabetic Association's nutrition recommendations, and the other was fed a modified, low-calorie diet containing a fat replacer (beta-glucans derived from oats) and the sweeteners, sucralose and fructose. Both groups were maintained on their respective diets for 4 weeks. All patients performed daily aerobic exercise consisting of walking for 60 minutes. Body weight, body mass index, basal glycemia, hemoglobin HbA1C, and lipid profile were determined in each patient before starting the diets and after 4 weeks of dietary intervention.  Both diets produced significant improvements in weight, body mass index, lipid profile, basal glucose, and HbA1C. However, the experimental diet was superior to the American Diabetic Association's diet in improving metabolic and anthropometric profile: greater increase in HDL cholesterol and larger decreases in HbA1C, weight, and body mass index. A diet incorporating a beta-glucans and non-sucrose sweeteners produced a greater improvement in metabolic and anthropometric variables in well controlled type 2 diabetic patients when compared with a diet based on American Diabetic Association's nutrition recommendations.

The effect of beta-glucan on the glycemic and insulin index.
Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 June . Mäkeläinen H, Anttila H, Sihvonen J, Hietanen RM, Tahvonen R, Salminen E, Mikola M, Sontag-Strohm T. Functional Foods Forum, University of Turku, Helsinki, Finland.
To determine the effects of oat products with increasing beta-glucan content on the glycemic (GI) and insulin indexes (II) of oat products, and to establish the effect of physical properties of beta-glucan on these physiological responses. One male and nine female volunteers were recruited from university students and staff, and all completed the study. GI and II of different products were calculated for each subject using the average of parallel glucose tolerance tests and the subsequent glycemic/insulinemic responses for each product. Average indexes for products were calculated according to the individual data. The glycemic responses to oat products with increasing amounts of beta-glucan had lower peak values than the reference glucose load. The amount of extractable beta-glucan had a high correlation between the glycemic and insulinemic response. In addition to the total amount of beta-glucan in oat products, the amount of extractable beta-glucan in oat products explains the magnitude of the decrease in glycemic responses to carbohydrate products.

Beta glucan and blood lipids
Randomized controlled crossover study of the effect of a highly beta-glucan-enriched barley on cardiovascular disease risk factors in mildly hypercholesterolemic men.
Keogh GF, Cooper GJ, Department of Medicine, the Human Nutrition & Metabolic Unit, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Soluble-fiber beta-glucan derived from oats can reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk through reductions in total and LDL cholesterol. Barley-derived beta-glucan may also improve serum cholesterol, but large quantities are required for clinical significance. This trial investigated whether a beta-glucan-enriched form of barley can favorably modify cholesterol and other markers of CVD and diabetes risk. Eighteen mildly hyperlipidemic ( +/- SD: 4.0 +/- 0.6 mmol LDL cholesterol/L) men with a mean (+/- SD) body mass index (in kg/m(2)) of 27.4 +/- 4.6 were randomly assigned in this single-blind, 2 x 4-wk trial to either the treatment arm [8.1-11.9 g beta-glucan/d (scaled to body weight)] or the control arm (isoenergetic dose of 6.5-9.2 g glucose/d). After a washout period of 4 wk, dietary regimens were crossed over. The trial took place in a long-stay metabolic facility, and all foods were provided (38% of energy from fat). Fasted blood samples were collected on days 0, 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 29 in both study arms. An oral-glucose-tolerance test was carried out on days 0 and 29. RESULTS: There was no significant change (Delta) in total (Delta = -0.08 mmol/L, -1.3%), LDL (Delta = -0.15 mmol/L, -3.8%), or HDL (Delta = 0 mmol/L) cholesterol or in triacylglycerol (Delta = 0.18 mmol/L), fasting glucose (Delta = -0.05 mmol/L), or postprandial glucose when analyzed between treatments (P > 0.05; ANOVA). The effect of beta-glucan-enriched barley on lipid profile was highly variable between subjects, and there was no evidence of a clinically significant improvement in CVD risk across this group of mildly hyperlipidemic men.

Beta glucan and cholesterol
Cholesterol-lowering effect of beta-glucan from oat bran in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects may decrease when beta-glucan is incorporated into bread and cookies.
Kerckhoffs DA. Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Findings about the effects of beta-glucan on serum lipoproteins are conflicting. OBJECTIVE: The study investigated the effects of beta-glucan from oat bran in bread and cookies (study 1) and in orange juice (study 2) on serum lipoproteins in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects. In study 1, 48 subjects (21 men, 27 women) received for 3 wk control bread and cookies rich in wheat fiber. For the next 4 wk, by random assignment, 23 subjects continued to consume the control products, and 25 received bread and cookies rich in beta-glucan. Mean daily intake of beta-glucan was 5.9 g. Total dietary fiber intake did not differ significantly between the groups. In study 2, the same sources of control fiber and beta-glucan (5 g/d) as in study 1 were provided. For 2 wk, 25 of the original 48 subjects (10 men, 15 women) were randomly assigned to consume orange juice containing either wheat fiber (n = 13) or beta-glucan from oat bran (n = 12). After a washout period of 1 wk, dietary regimens were crossed over. RESULTS: In study 1, the change in LDL cholesterol did not differ significantly (-0.12 mmol/L; P = 0.173) between the 2 groups. In study 2, the drink rich in beta-glucan decreased LDL cholesterol by 0.26 +/- 0.07 mmol/L (6.7 +/- 1.8%; P = 0.001) and the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol by 0.26 +/- 0.11 (5.4 +/- 2.1%; P = 0.029) compared with the other drink. HDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations did not change significantly. The food matrix or the food processing, or both, could have adverse effects on the hypocholesterolemic properties of oat beta-glucan.

Home - Tribulus terrestris extract

beta glucan study beta glucan benefits beta glucan and immune system beta glucan