| Staying healthy depends critically on the health of | | | | Third, beta glucan enhances the ability of these |
| your immune system. Studies show that the | | | | innate immune cells to phagocytize, or "engulf and |
| supplement 1-3, 1-6 beta glucans is one of the | | | | eat" pathogens. |
| most powerful ways to support the immune | | | | Finally, beta glucan enhances the ability of natural |
| system. So much so that the US Government is | | | | killer cells to release the chemicals that kill |
| now testing one brand of beta glucans with a | | | | pathogens. |
| view to stockpiling it as a protective measure | | | | The end result of this four fold action is a |
| against the possibility of nuclear radiation - see | | | | significant enhancement of the body's ability to |
| later. | | | | fight against pathogenic challenges - whether |
| Unfortunately, we live in a rather toxic world. Air | | | | microbial, fungal, viral or cancer-related. |
| pollution, pesticides, herbicides, poisons and | | | | Not all beta glucan supplements are created equal |
| pollutants enter our food chain through water, soil | | | | Biothera is a biotech company, a world leader in |
| and air - and all these create significant stress to | | | | research on beta glucans, and is the manufacturer |
| our immune systems. Each year in Europe as | | | | of a patented source of 1-3, 1-6 beta glucans, |
| many as 250 million tons of 700,000 different | | | | WGP. It is their beta glucans that is being tested |
| toxic chemicals are released into the air, water | | | | by the US Government as a protective measure |
| and ground - that's roughly a ton per year for | | | | against nuclear radiation. |
| every person! | | | | Biothera's research shows that beta glucan needs |
| The evidence of severe health risks from all this | | | | to be highly purified in order to be effective. |
| pollution is compelling. Numerous studies have | | | | Essentially, the outer layers of the yeast cell need |
| shown links between chemical exposure and | | | | to be removed to expose the beta glucan, so |
| numerous health problems, including cancer, | | | | that it can bind to the receptor sites of the innate |
| depression, mood swings, diabetes, asthma, heart | | | | immune cells. |
| disease and other chronic conditions. | | | | The purification process should also remove |
| The best thing we can do, faced with these | | | | proteins and yeast residues. These can cause |
| unavoidable health threats, is to strengthen our | | | | adverse effects in many people, and also reduce |
| body's immune system to guard against harmful | | | | the overall effectiveness of the beta glucans. This |
| influences - which of course include viral and | | | | purification process is costly; however, so |
| bacterial threats. Fortunately, there is a | | | | unfortunately, some brands of beta glucan take |
| completely natural supplement which has proven | | | | some short cuts in this area, and are minimally |
| to be one of the most effective agents to | | | | purified, at best. |
| support the human immune system. | | | | Who should take beta glucan? |
| Beta glucan is a supplement derived and purified | | | | The general answer is that anyone who wants to |
| from the cell wall of common baker's yeast | | | | maintain or enhance the effectiveness of their |
| (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Research has shown | | | | immune system. That includes anyone who |
| that critical cellular components of the human | | | | experiences daily stress (which lowers the |
| immune system - macrophages, neutrophils and | | | | immune response), and people who are |
| natural killer (NK) cells - actually have specific | | | | susceptible to infectious diseases, or experiencing |
| receptors for the beta glucan macromolecule. It | | | | slow and incomplete healing. |
| seems that Nature has "designed" beta glucan to | | | | Additional circumstances for use would include |
| provide support for our immune systems. | | | | people entering hospital - who are at greater risk |
| Positive test results | | | | of infection - as are long distance air travelers, |
| Studies that support the efficacy of a properly | | | | who are exposed to a higher levels of UV |
| refined beta glucans (referenced below) originated | | | | radiation than normal. |
| with laboratory experiments. For example 90 % | | | | An obvious time for many people to consider the |
| of subjects exposed to very high levels of E-coli | | | | use of an immune booster is in the pre-flu season. |
| survived when their innate immune systems were | | | | And a smaller but specific group would be athletes |
| primed by 1-3, 1-6 beta-glucans. 0% survived in | | | | who should also derive health benefits since |
| the control group. | | | | strenuous exercise actually lowers the immune |
| In a further test, 80% survived exposure to high | | | | response. |
| levels of Staphylococcus aureus as opposed to | | | | Beta glucan can be taken as a daily supplement, |
| 0% in the control group. | | | | because the immune system's viability fluctuates |
| In a further test when beta glucans was | | | | from day to day, due to direct and indirect |
| administered in combination with anti-biotics after | | | | environmental conditions. When the immune |
| exposure to bacteria, the number of bacteria | | | | system is suppressed, weakened, or under |
| needed to actually create infection was increased | | | | stress, we will be more prone to illness. |
| by up to 2,000 fold. | | | | Also, the billions of innate immune cells which |
| A recent human study demonstrated that a beta | | | | protect us have a life-span of only a day or two, |
| glucan supplement significantly increased the | | | | so a daily intake of beta glucan will help to support |
| number of immune cells that were actively | | | | the immune system on a constant basis. After all, |
| engulfing and destroying one or more foreign | | | | the challenges to the immune system are |
| particles or intruders. After 10 days of treatment | | | | constant, so we need to provide consistent |
| the number of highly phagocytic cells increased | | | | support. |
| from 37.3% to more than 50%. | | | | The research evidence for beta glucans is solid - |
| These results show that taking beta glucan | | | | but it can be used synergistically with another |
| enhanced the human immune system to defend | | | | natural nutrient - beta sitosterol. |
| the body against a challenge. Additionally, the | | | | How beta sitosterols work |
| numbers of several important cytokines (proteins | | | | The nutritional plant extract beta sitosterol is one |
| which support immune function) were increased | | | | example of a group of molecules called sterols. |
| as well. | | | | They are regarded as the plant kingdom's |
| How beta glucan works | | | | equivalent of cholesterol. It is a natural |
| 1-3, 1-6 beta glucan provides protection against | | | | immuno-modulator as it up-regulates certain |
| diseases by enhancing four key immune | | | | aspects of immune function while down-regulating |
| responses. | | | | others. Beta sitosterol is present in a number of |
| First, it primes the main elements of the immune | | | | plant foods and especially seeds and nuts. |
| system - the macrophages, neutrophils and | | | | Beta sitosterol increases natural killer cell activity, |
| natural killer (NK) cells - to defend the body | | | | thus their depletion leaves the cells under-active. |
| against a broad range of foreign challenges (called | | | | This contributes to an overall degradation of the |
| pathogens). These cells are chiefly responsible for | | | | innate immune system. Hence, a diet rich in |
| destroying pathogens and tumour cells. | | | | sterols can 'quieten' auto-immune responses and |
| Second, it enhances the ability of these cells to | | | | improve immune response generally. |
| move from peripheral circulation in the body to | | | | All natural & safe |
| the specific site of the attempted "invasion" by a | | | | Food derived nutrients are, in principle, normally |
| pathogen. The 1-3, 1-6 beta glucans do this by | | | | safer than artificially created pharmaceutical |
| binding or locking onto the surface of neutrophils | | | | molecules, precisely because they are natural and |
| and 'priming' them - in the way that a weapon | | | | have mostly been consumed for centuries. Since |
| may be primed. The neutrophil is then able to | | | | 1-3, 1-6 beta glucans is derived from baker's |
| seek out and destroy any pathogen - be it a virus | | | | yeast, it is, prima facie, safe. |
| (flu) or bacteria or even a cancer cell. | | | | |