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Beta Glucan
GreenPath Beta Glucan
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Beta Glucan?
Beta Glucan (beta 1,3/1,6 glucan) is an all natural, food-based dietary supplement produced naturally in the cell wall of baker’s yeast (saccharomyces cervisiae). A highly refined carbohydrate, Beta Glucan is composed of a string of glucose molecules, with the fats, proteins, and other polysaccharides removed.
Beta Glucan also occurs naturally in oats, barley, mushrooms, and algae in small amounts. For the best immune response, research studies show that highly purified Beta Glucan extracted from the cell walls of baker's yeast is the most effective.
What is the purity level of Beta Glucan?
GreenPath Beta Glucan is 85% to 90% pure. We use no fillers, binders, excipients, flow agents or preservatives. Impurities interfere with glucan uptake.
What is the primary function of Beta Glucan?
Beta Glucan unlocks the power of the macrophage. A macrophage activity occurs when your immune system encounters a disease-causing organism or any other invading antigen, a substance that it recognizes as ‘non-self’ (including cancer cells). The macrophage’s first action is to immobilize the antigen by giving off an oxidative burst of hydrogen peroxide (helpful free radicals). It then engulfs the antigen and breaks it down, before presenting a harmless fraction to helper and killer T-cells so that they can then identify and recall what the enemy looks and feels like.
The macrophage then begins secreting cytokines (chemical cellular messengers) to start what is known as the immune cascade. The first cytokine is known as Interleukin-1 or IL-1. IL-1 causes the helper T-cell to become an activated or effector helper T-cell, and then rapidly divide, thus cloning itself. The activated helper T-cells then begin to release Interleukin-2 or IL-2, which causes the activation and cloning of the killer T-cells. Having been exposed to the antigen surface, the killer T-cells quickly move in to seek out and destroy any surviving antigenic matter.
After the threat has been vanquished, the IL-2 receptors disappear from the Killer T-cell surfaces so that they stop growing and dividing and eventually die off. The chemical frenzy of the immune cascade dies down. The invading antigen has been defeated. The macrophage plays a key role in recognizing that an antigenic attack is underway and in organizing the response of specific T-cells in order to successfully fight off that threat.
What are the most common disorders that Beta Glucan is known to address?
Beta Glucan helps in overcoming and destroying any and all invading antigens, but with over 60 years of research and over 800 studies, Beta Glucan has been shown to help in overcoming the effects of:
- common cold
- tumors
- E. coli bacteria
- infections
- pneumonia
- high cholesterol
- bacterial infections
- radiation illness
- cancer
- immune system disorders
Who can benefit the most from Beta Glucan?
Daily supplementation of Beta Glucan (we suggest 300mg per day as a preventive dose) should help anyone exposed to disease-causing organisms mount a more effective and decisive immune response. Everyone needs to maintain or enhance their immune system and should consider taking Beta Glucan daily, including people with weakened immune systems due to:
- age
- psychological, environmental, or physical stress
- allergies
- autoimmune diseases
- infectious diseases
- cancer
- HIV infection
- chronic fatigue syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- slow healing
It is thought that as we age, the supplementation of Beta Glucan becomes more relevant and important as the shrinking of the thymus gland after reaching the age of sexual maturation results in fewer available circulating immune cells to fight infection or guard against the appearance of cancerous cells.
What about over-activity of the immune system?
Beta 1,3/1,6 D-glucan will not interfere with existing autoimmune conditions, because it does not lead to over-activity of the immune system. Beta 1,3/1,6 glucan is also safe for people with yeast allergies to consume as the proteins which trigger the allergic response are removed in the extraction process.
For additional GreenPath Beta Glucan information, view Beta Glucan product information, Beta Glucan supplemental facts, and Beta Glucan articles.
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