The importance of the immune system is frequently overlooked until it begins to malfunction.
It protects your body from poisons, viruses, and bacteria that might sneak in at any time.
Did you know that a significant component of a healthy immune system is beta-glucan,
a form of soluble dietary fiber that is mostly found in whole grains and some types of medicinal
mushrooms?
Well, today we will learn about beta-glucan and its relation to the immune system.
Beta-Glucan offers immunity to infections
Beta-glucan's main benefits for the immune system are that it can both stop and slow
the growth of bacteria and viruses.
Research shows that beta-glucan may make the immune system stronger and help the body fight
off illness and infection.
Because beta-glucans from different sources can have different structures, this can change
how they work in the body, which can trigger different immune responses.
Beta-glucans can act on a variety of immune cell membrane receptors and may boost tumor
necrosis factors and various types of interleukin, which are naturally occurring proteins that
regulate cell growth and stimulate the immune system.
Active polysaccharides from a specific group of beta-glucans can boost host immune defense
by improving macrophage and natural killer cell function.
Another study demonstrates the immune-modulating characteristics of beta-glucans derived exclusively
from fungus and yeast, which influence leukocyte function and boost resistance to infections.
The question that comes to our mind immediately is how beta-glucan functions.
When you consume beta-glucans through food, they pass through the stomach unaltered, where
they are picked up by macrophages, causing an instantaneous cell activation.
As part of their antigen-presenting role, these cells then go to lymph nodes where they
produce cytokines and activate the immune system.
It helps promote upper respiratory health
Beta-glucan also helps the immune system work better by reducing symptoms of the upper respiratory
tract.
Among other things, these symptoms frequently include throat discomfort, soreness, and wheezing
In a placebo-controlled, double-blind trial, 75 marathoners with ages ranging from 18 to
53 participated.
The key findings demonstrate that immunological function was preserved in endurance athletes
by beta-glucan.
Additionally, it aids in the reduction of post-exercise upper respiratory tract problems
in marathon runners.
Likewise, it revealed improved mood, less weariness, and more vitality in all of the
participating athletes.
Moving on - it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
It's critical to keep cholesterol levels in a healthy range to lower your risk of cardiovascular
disease.
Despite the fact that the body needs cholesterol to create healthy cells, high levels can cause
fatty deposits in the blood vessels, which ultimately can stop blood flow through the
arteries.
Among the many advantages of beta-glucans for health, lowering cholesterol is one more.
Beta-glucans are also soluble fibers, which means that they take longer for the body to
digest.
This decreases the risk of raising blood sugar because the body won't absorb sugar as quickly.
A health claim for oat beta glucan's efficacy in lowering the risk of heart disease and
plasma cholesterol levels has been approved in the U.S. One study states that oat beta-glucan
in doses of at least three grams per day may lower cholesterol levels by 5-10%.
Surprisingly it also maintains a healthy level of gut bacteria
One of the most important advantages of beta-glucans is the maintenance of good gut bacteria in
addition to decreasing cholesterol.
Numerous studies imply that beta-glucan has a role in controlling changes in gut bacterial
composition.
Beta-glucan promotes weight loss and general digestive health when taken with prebiotics.
Additionally, a link between the gut and the brain has been established, making the emphasis
on gut health crucial.
According to some researchers, having digestive issues might cause the brain to receive signals
that lead to sadness, stress, or worry.
For instance, if you feel queasy before a presentation, it's because your brain is sending
information to your gut about the associated conditions, and vice versa.
A study explaining the effects of barley beta-glucan also discovered that changes in the gut flora
were associated with lowered blood pressure and BMI risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
These are just a few of the many ways that keeping a healthy community of bacteria in
the gut helps the body work well as a whole.
It could slow cancer growth
Beta-glucans have been found to have anti-carcinogenic properties.
They might stop tumor spread and reduce tumor growth in the early stages.
Evidence also supports its potential to improve the immune response during chemotherapy and
radiotherapy and to restore hematopoiesis after a bone marrow injury to maintain a sufficient
supply of blood cells.
Beta-glucans are naturally occurring polysaccharides found in the cell walls of cereal grains,
algae, mushrooms, and microbes such as fungi, bacteria, and yeast.
They are helpful in controlling the growth of cancer and its spread to other parts of
the body.
For many years, polysaccharide-K and lentinan, a beta-glucan produced from medicinal mushrooms,
have been utilized in cancer treatment.
According to research, beta-glucans are efficient at fighting cancer and tumors while also enhancing
the benefits of chemotherapy.
According to one study, giving beta-glucans along with chemotherapy increased the survival
duration of patients with advanced gastric or colorectal cancer.
Last but not least, a different study on animals showed that giving mice with bladder cancer
cyclophosphamide along with yeast-derived beta-glucan stopped tumors from growing, stopped
new tumors from forming, and cut down on the number of mice that died.
Let's now look into some smaller benefits of Beta-Glucan
It is helpful when it comes to allergies
According to a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial, beta-glucan is a safe
and efficient natural remedy for ragweed allergies.
Results came from a four-week trial period in which participants took 250 mg of beta-glucan
daily.
Beta-glucan users reported a higher quality of life and mood overall, as well as fewer
sleep issues, nasal and eye symptoms, and other side effects.
Aids in suppressing Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis
It has been discovered that specific beta-glucan sources can treat inflammatory bowel conditions
like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
In one study, the effect of oat beta-glucan on inflammatory markers was assessed.
The administration of beta-glucan supplements reduced inflammation and improved signaling
molecules, drawing cells to the area of infection and inflammation, according to the results.
In this study, low molecular weight beta-glucan was found to be more effective than beta-glucan
from other sources at modulating immune cells' function.
As a result, evidence points to oat beta-glucans as being specifically responsible for regulating
inflammation by reducing gene expression, cytokine release, and immunological responses
to inflammation.
It controls and maintains blood sugar levels Due to its ability to control blood sugar
levels, beta-glucan may be a useful diabetes management tool.
Oat and fungal beta-glucans have both been demonstrated to lower blood sugar levels.
It may help prevent type 2 diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels.
Although research indicates that beta-glucan cannot control blood sugar levels on its own,
it may be taken with a healthy diet.
It lowers obesity risk More than two out of every five adults in
America are categorized as overweight or obese.
Obesity is an international issue that can seriously harm one's health and quality of
life.
There is a lower risk of obesity with beta-glucan.
In preliminary research, it was discovered that beta-glucan made from mushrooms can reduce
obesity.
According to one study, beta-glucan from turkey tail mushrooms may help in the fight against
obesity.
Through particular activity in the gut flora, the beta-glucan displayed anti-obesity benefits.
How to Increase Your Daily Intake of Beta Glucan
Beta-glucans work as immunomodulators, which means that they set off a chain of events
that help control and boost the immune system.
In particular, beta-glucans turn on macrophages, which are immune cells that can change and
kill invaders as well as stir up other immune cells to fight.
This happens in some foods, such as seaweed and algae, as well as cereal grains like oats,
barley, and wheat, beta-glucan where it already occurs naturally.
This underutilized component might help maintain a healthy gut and strengthen the immune system.
Beta-glucan can boost the immune system by making natural killer cells work harder, which
may make the body's natural defenses stronger.
If you want to increase the amount of beta-glucan in your diet, there are many solutions available.
It can also be found in some medicinal mushrooms and baker's yeast.
The following mushrooms are high in beta-glucan: turkey tail, Enoki, oyster, Splitgill, Shiitake,
Maitake, and Reishi.
By putting some shiitake mushrooms in a soup, you can start to get the benefits of beta-glucan.
The immune system is said to be strengthened by beta-glucan, which in turn aids immune
cells in identifying and eliminating cancerous cells.
Let's keep the conversation going with a few more videos on detecting cancer.
Shall we?
Watch: 8 Common Cancer Signs That Are Almost Always Ignored
or
9 Signs Of Cancer Mostly Ignored By Men
Go ahead, and click one.
Or, even better, watch both videos to learn more about the early signs of cancer, which
are often ignored.
Have you checked them?
Let us know in the comments below!