Beta Glucan: When it comes to naturally boosting the immune system by optimizing its response to diseases and infections, beta-glucans are crucial weapons in the fight to stay healthy. But because the body doesn't produce beta glucans naturally, the only way to get the compound is through outside sources, this is why we at LifeSource Vitamins have added this to our line of supplements.


Beta Glucan is a powerful immune stimulator, activating the macrophages in the immune system. Studies have found that this product not only has a positive effect on the macrophages, but also on B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and suppressor T cells. In addition to these important functions, Beta Glucan is an effective antioxidant and free radical scavenger.*


Macrophage cells play an essential role in the maintenance of the immune system. Macrophages are the cells that recognize, engulf and destroy any cells, organisms, and substances that are not natural or required by the body (bacteria, viruses, fungi, dead or mutated cells, etc.)

• A release of important cytokines, such as IL-1, IL-2 among others, initiating immune cascade and triggering other cell lines, such as T-cells. A release of colony-stimulating factors, boosting bone marrow production. *

It also can produce a number of essential cytokines that are able to stimulate the immune system in general and boost bone marrow production. In addition to having a huge appetite for toxins, macrophages play a pivotal role in the initiation of immune responses. Once a foreign body attacks the body, the macrophages become activated, and a chain reaction occurs that mobilizes the entire immune system.*

There have been over 1,000 research papers on Beta 1,3-D Glucan since the 1960s. Research-backed by prestigious institutions such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Harvard, Tulane, Baylor, McGill, University of California, Duke, Washington, Armed Forces Radiology Research Institute, and other institutions all demonstrate the high immune-activating properties of Beta Glucan. Beta Glucan has been found to stimulate or modulate macrophage cells (leukocytes, or white blood cells).*

Maitake Mushrooms: Why add Maitake Mushrooms? It really is a natural addition. The Maitake mushroom has an active ingredient called beta-glucan. These mushrooms have been used in Japan for centuries, and they are believed to promote longevity and overall well-being. It’s a polysaccharide found in other medicinal mushrooms. The Maitake Mushroom, however, contains one called D-fraction. Researchers believe that it is this beta-glucan that gives the mushroom its healing powers. Unlike common mushrooms, Maitake’s are packed with unbelievably healthy nutrients such as powerful antioxidants, Vitamins B, C, and also Niacin. They are also packed with minerals like iron, zinc, potassium, selenium, protein, amino acids, and fiber.

Shown to Support immune health; researched for over 2 decades:

• Activation of macrophages, expressing increased nonspecific phagocytic ability allowing macrophages to destroy pathogens more efficiently, frequently preventing disease.*
• Ideal for people who exercise more than the average*
• Serious Athletes, Professional Athletes in any sport, Body Builders, Runners, anyone who overexerts continually.*
• The release of important cytokines, such as IL-1, IL-2 among others, initiating immune cascade and triggeringother cell lines, such as T-cells. The release of colony-stimulating factors, boosting bone marrow production.*
• Cholesterol-reduction through cell activation and anti-oxidant activity*
• Diabetes Support*
• Blood Sugar Support*
• Helps with Radiation Support*
• A bio-active Carbohydrate*
• Nourishes and stimulates the immune system*

Keeping Your Immune System Strong

Our immune system protects our bodies against viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, and much more. It is a miraculous complex network of organs that contain cells that recognize and destroy foreign invaders. Some individuals, because of age, poor nutrition, stress, unhealthy lifestyle, or environmental toxins have a compromised immune system.* Specialized white blood cells are called macrophages, and they are the first line of defense of your immune system. Macrophages are essentially the "guard dogs" of your immune system, and constantly on alert.


What do these Beta Glucans do?


BOOSTS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

One of the health benefits is boosting the immune system. It actually works by activating the white blood cells, specifically neutrophils, and macrophages. These white blood cells are the immune system's line of defense against pathogens and foreign invaders in the body. Neutrophils and macrophages activated by beta-glucan aid in recognizing and destroying tumor cells, accelerate repair of damaged tissue, help remove cellular waste caused by oxidative damage, and help activate the immune system's other components. *

BLOOD SUGAR CONTROL

It is a soluble fiber that helps decrease the absorption of sugar that comes from the diet. Several studies have suggested the value of beta-glucan in keeping blood sugar levels under control but more studies are needed in order to verify this data. Strong evidence shows that people who incorporated more foods that produce a low glycemic response in their diets had a significant improvement in diabetes control. *


See All LifeSource Vitamins Blood Sugar Products, Articles, and Studies : Click Here

Article: Blood Sugar, Also Shown Improvement with Psyllium: Click Here

LOWER CHOLESTEROL LEVELS

Due to the gel-like substance that is produced from beta-glucan when it is dissolved in the digestive tract, it is quite effective in reducing bad cholesterol or LDL and the overall cholesterol level in the body. Lower cholesterol levels mean a decreased chance of developing heart diseases like coronary heart disease. *

See All LifeSource Vitamins Cholesterol Fighting Products, Articles & Studies: Click Here

Heart disease study:

A randomized controlled crossover study of the effect of highly beta-glucan-enriched barley on cardiovascular disease risk factors in mildly hypercholesterolemic men.

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 men were randomly assigned in this single-blind, 2 x 4-wk trial to either the treatment arm or the control arm. After a washout period of 4 weeks, dietary regimens were crossed over. There was no significant change in total, LDL, or HDL cholesterol or in triacylglycerol, fasting glucose, or postprandial glucose when analyzed between treatments. 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.

Immunity research

Effects of oat beta-glucan on innate immunity and infection after exercise stress.

Med Sci Sports Exercise. 2004.

To test the effects of oat beta-glucan on respiratory infection, macrophage antiviral resistance, and NK cytotoxicity it was fed to mice in the drinking water for 10 days before intranasal inoculation of HSV-1 or sacrifice. Our data suggest that daily ingestion of beta-glucan may offset the increased risk of upper respiratory infection associated with exercise stress, which may be mediated, at least in part, by an increase in macrophage antiviral resistance.

Radiation Study

One of the most remarkable oral studies with beta-1,3-glucan was done at the US Armed Forces Radiobiology Institute.

In a well-controlled study, 70% of rats given a lethal dose of radiation were completely protected from radiation effects when given a dose of yeast beta glucan by mouth AFTER the radiation 16.

Dr. Myra Patchen discovered that beta-glucan is also a free radical scavenger. It is able to protect blood macrophages from free radical attack during and after the radiation allowing these cells to continue to carry their important functions in the irradiated body and release factors important to the restoration of normal bone marrow production. Patchen ML, D'Alesandro MM, Brook I, Blakely WF, McVittie TJ: Glucan: mechanisms involved in its "radioprotective" effect.. J Leuc Biol 1987; 42: 95-105.

6 Health Benefits of Maitake Mushrooms

The Maitake mushroom has been prized in Asia for thousands of years for its health benefits. The Japanese word "Maitake" means "dancing mushroom," a name derived from the reaction of people having found these mushrooms, which were actually worth their weight in silver. Modern research on the Maitake mushroom only began in Japan in the 1980s and has just recently begun to be conducted to the United States. Most research has been done on the extract rather than the fresh mushroom and tests on humans are limited.

Cancer Support

Maitake mushrooms are highly sought after for their anti-cancer properties. They are abundant in polysaccharides and polysaccharide-protein complexes that the body uses to fortify the immune system. The mushroom’s beta-glucan content works to promote important immune system functions, effectively activating white blood cells that fight off microorganisms that cause disease, including cancer. Maitake mushrooms enhance the activity of cells, inducing the production of interleukins and other lymphokines that have chemoprotective effects, slow tumor growth, and help to inhibit the spread of cancer.

Immune System Support

Maitake mushrooms grow primarily in northeastern Japan and the United States and are esteemed by traditional Chinese medicine for fighting disease and improving immunity. Regular consumption of Maitake enhances the immune system as well as lowers blood pressure. The most effective ingredient in the mushroom is its beta-glucan, a polysaccharide compound that boosts the immune system through the activation of macrophage cells, natural killer cells, and T-cells. These cells play an important role in building general immunity and preventing free radicals from harming the body's systems.

Blood Sugar Control

The consumption of Maitake mushrooms may regulate blood sugar levels and blood lipid levels. The polysaccharide compounds that promote the strength of the immune system are also effective in helping to regulate blood pressure, glucose, insulin, and lipids. This effect is especially beneficial for people with diabetes or hypoglycemia. People with Type 2 Diabetes may also benefit from Maitake mushrooms. Scientists have studied a specific, high-molecular polysaccharide in Maitake called the X-fraction. Research results suggest that Maitake mushrooms can reduce insulin resistance and increase insulin sensitivity.


Lower Blood Pressure

Research on animals suggests that Maitake may help lower blood pressure in people. One study gave hypertensive rats a 5% Maitake mushroom powder and observed a reduction in blood pressure. Similar results were seen from another study on rats, in which Maitake lowered blood pressure from 200 to 115 mm Hg in just 4 hours. In an unpublished trial on humans, eleven patients with hypertension took 500 mg of Maitake mushroom pills twice a day. A mean decrease in diastolic blood pressure of approximately 8 mm Hg and a mean decrease in systolic blood pressure of about 14 mm Hg were reported.


Lower Cholesterol

In one study on hyperlipidemic rats, Maitake changed lipid metabolism through inhibiting the aggregation of liver lipids and the raising of serum lipids. Similar results were seen in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. In another study, rats given powdered mushroom preparations saw a drop in both total cholesterols and very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol.


Weight Loss

Maitake mushrooms can promote weight loss and decrease obesity when combined with light exercise. Studies on overweight rats fed Maitake powder found that after 18 weeks, they had lost weight compared with controls. They contain no cholesterol, no fats and are very low carbohydrates. Additionally, the high lean protein content of mushrooms helps burn cholesterol during digestion.

STUDY's:

Cholesterol management & Beta Glucan

The effects of concentrated barley beta-glucan on blood lipids in a population of hypercholesterolemic men and women. Br J Nutr. 2007. University of Minnesota, Medical School, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

We evaluated the cholesterol-lowering effect of a concentrated barley beta-glucan extract as a vehicle to deliver this potential health benefit of barley. In a 10-week blinded controlled study, subjects were randomized to one of four treatment groups or control. Treatment groups included either high molecular weight or low molecular weight barley beta-glucan extract at both 3 and 5 g doses. Treatment was delivered twice per day with meals in the form of two functional food products: a ready-to-eat cereal and a reduced-calorie fruit juice beverage. After 6 weeks of treatment the mean LDL- Cholesterol levels fell by 15 % in the 5 g HMW group, 13 % in the 5 g LMW group and 9 % in both the 3 g/d groups, versus baseline. Similar results were observed for total cholesterol. HDL-C levels were unchanged by treatment.

Oat-derived beta-glucan significantly improves HDL Cholesterol and diminishes LDL Cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol in overweight individuals with mild hypercholesterolemia. Am J Ther. 2007. Center for Metabolic and Endocrine Research, The University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.

To investigate the effect of bread formulated with 6 g of beta-glucan (oat soluble fiber) on serum lipids in overweight subjects with high cholesterol levels. Thirty-eight male subjects who were eligible for the study ate an isocaloric diet for a 1-week period. They were then divided into 2 groups: group A, who were maintained on American Heart Association (AHA) Step II diet, including whole wheat bread, and group B, who were maintained on AHA Step II diet containing high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids plus bread containing 6 grams of beta-glucan (Nutrim-OB) for 8 weeks. There was a significant increase in plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the beta-glucan group, but there was no change in group B. There was a significant reduction in total cholesterol in the 2 groups to approximately the same extent. Plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol also decreased significantly in the two groups; however, the beta-glucan fortified diet was significantly more effective. The beta-glucan diet also decreased fasting plasma glucose, whereas the other diet had no effect. Six grams of beta-glucan from oats added to the AHA Step II diet and moderate physical activity improved lipid profile and caused a decrease in weight and, thus, reduced the risk of cardiovascular events in overweight male individuals with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia.

Dr. Ronald Mensink, of Maastricht University, tested 25 healthy subjects who drank a fruit drink containing beta-glucan from oats and 22 healthy subjects who drank a fruit drink containing 5 grams of rice starch, which served as a placebo. All of the subjects drank the juice every day for five weeks. Compared with the placebo group, total cholesterol was reduced by 5 percent and LDL cholesterol by 7.7 percent in the beta-glucan group. The investigators also found that the beta-glucan drink decreased cholesterol absorption and increased synthesis, without affecting levels of fat-soluble antioxidants. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 2006.

Beta Glucan incorporated into a fruit drink effectively lowers serum LDL- cholesterol concentrations. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2006

We examined the effects of a beta-glucan-enriched fruit juice on serum lipids and lipoproteins and on markers of cholesterol absorption (serum concentrations of plant sterols) and synthesis (serum concentrations of lathosterol). Beta Glucan lowers serum concentrations of total and LDL cholesterol when incorporated into a fruit drink without affecting plasma concentrations of lipid-soluble antioxidants.

Sweeteners and beta-glucans improve metabolic and anthropometric variables in well-controlled type 2 diabetic patients. Am J Ther. 2003.

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 diets produced significant improvements in weight, body mass index, lipid profile, basal glucose, and HbA1C. However, the beta-glucan 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.

Colon health

Dietary supplementation with beta-glucan-enriched oat bran increases the fecal concentration of carboxylic acids in healthy subjects. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007; Applied Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Department of Food Technology, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

Carboxylic acids, especially butyric acid, have been suggested to counteract colonic diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and colon cancer. To elucidate how the colonic concentration of carboxylic acids in healthy subjects is influenced by dietary supplementation with oat bran, and whether the concentration varies over time and during consecutive days. Twenty-five healthy subjects were given 40 g beta-glucan-enriched oat bran per day, corresponding to 20 g dietary fiber, in 4 slices of bread. After 12 weeks, the concentrations of acetic, propionic and isobutyric acid were higher and that of lactic acid lower. The variation between individuals was considerable, whereas in the same individuals there was little variation. Oat bran increased the fecal concentration of carboxylic acids after 8 weeks, indicating an increased concentration also in the distal colon. The concentration of all main acids increased, except for lactic acid, which decreased. Oat bran may, therefore, have a preventive potential adjunct to colonic diseases.

Diabetes and blood sugar control

Beta-glucan may be helpful in blood sugar control. The addition predictably reduces the glycemic index. In a 50 g carbohydrate portion, each gram of beta-glucan reduces the glycemic index by 4 units, making it a useful functional food component for reducing postprandial glycemia. It has also been tested for cholesterol level support.

Studies have found that Beta Glucan not only has a positive effect on the macrophages, but also on B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, suppressor T cells, and free radical scavengers.

LifeSource Vitamins Ultra Beta Glucan with Maitake Mushrooms, Beta - 1,3/1,6 -D- Glucan, When it comes to naturally boosting the immune systems by optimizing its response to diseases, beta-glucans are crucial weapons in the fight to stay healthy.

Proudly Made in the USA!

Every LifeSource Vitamins product exceeds all regulatory standards and requirements set forth in the FDA's Code of Federal Regulation. ( 21 CFR, part 111 ) as well as all Good Manufacturing Practices enforced by the FDA. CGMP's provide for systems that assure proper design, monitoring, and control of manufacturing processes and facilities. ( CGMP ).

LifeSource Vitamins: Driven by Faith ~ Powered by God

Have Questions on this or any other product or health issue for you or a loved one? It can be overwhelming we know. Call us, we will walk you through what supplements will help you and which ones you really don’t need. It’s what we do! Toll-Free: 800-567-8122

LifeSource Vitamins – Founded in 1992

100% of our profits are donated to Christian Organizations like these and many others worldwide:

Campus Crusade for Christ - CRU

The Jesus Film Project

World Vision

The Tim Tebow Foundation

Compassion International

Samaritan’s Purse

The Herman and Sharron Show on CTN (Christian Television Network) and many more…

www.LifesourceVitamins.com

E-mail Us: [email protected]

or Call Us: 800.567.8122

We Are Built on Compassion - Driven by Faith & Powered by God!

*Disclaimer: None of the above statements have been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. As always, consult your physician before taking any and all supplements. LifeSource Vitamins. Individual results may vary.

Disclaimer: All the information contained throughout this website is based upon the opinions of the founder of LifeSource Vitamins, Bruce Brightman, and the entire team at LifeSource Vitamins whose relentless research and studies have been ongoing since 1992. Other articles and information are based on the opinions of the authors, who retain the copyright as marked in the article. The information on this site is not intended to replace your health care professional, but to enhance your relationship with them. Doing your own studying and research and taking your health care into your own hands is always best, especially in partnership with your health care professional.

If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have any medical conditions, always consult your health care professional before taking supplements based on the information on this site.

LifeSource Vitamins: from the nutrients we choose, to the way we run our business, we answer to God in all we do!