Extreme exercise, such as running a marathon, can negatively affect the immune system. A recent study suggests that taking a beta-glucan supplement may help reduce the severity of upper respiratory tract infection in people who run marathons.

Participants in the study included 357 marathon runners who were given either a 250 mL dairy drink containing 250 mg of a beta-glucan supplement or a calorie-matched control dairy beverage without the supplement. They consumed the drink daily for 45 days before, the day of, and 45 days after running a marathon.

The researchers found that while there were no significant differences between the groups in average length and number of upper respiratory tract infections, there was a significant reduction in symptomatic days in the beta-glucan group, when compared with the control.

They also found that the total severity of upper respiratory tract infections was lower in the beta-glucan group, when compared with the control, especially in nasal discharge and sore throat. The supplement group also had significantly fewer average missed post-marathon workout days due to upper respiratory tract infection than the control group.

Researchers from Biofortis in Illinois conducted the study. It was published online ahead of print on October 31, 2018, in the Journal of Dietary Supplements.

Beta-glucan can be found in dietary sources including yeasts, algae, lichens, oats and barley. A high-quality supplement is also a good option if you’re looking to increase your beta-glucan intake.

Upper respiratory tract infections are more apt to cause complications in mature adults, such as hospitalization, bronchitis, pneumonia and death. A recent study suggests that taking a daily supplement of the baker’s yeast beta-glucan may reduce the number of upper respiratory tract infections as well as shorten the length of illness in mature adults.

Participants in the study included 49 people between the ages of 50 and 70 who were given either 250 mg of a baker’s yeast beta-glucan supplement or a placebo daily for 90 days during the winter.

At the conclusion of the study, the researchers noted a “strong trend” toward fewer days with upper respiratory tract infection symptoms in the supplement group, but no change in severity of symptoms. The supplement group also had higher concentrations of interferon-gamma from the beginning of the study to day 45, when their blood was stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. The researchers noted that this change could indicate that the supplement was priming the innate immune cells to an inflammatory status.

Researchers from the University of Southampton in England conducted the study. It was published in the July-August 2017 issue of Nutrition.

Previous studies have linked beta-glucan intake with lower cholesterol, managing diabetes, controlling allergies and improving the appearance of skin.

Beta-glucan can be found in dietary sources such as yeasts, algae, lichens, oats and barley. A high quality supplement is also a good option if you’re looking to increase your beta-glucan intake.

Upper respiratory tract infections are the most common illness diagnosed in an outpatient setting. A recent study suggests that taking a daily beta-glucan supplement may lower the frequency of upper respiratory tract infections in children by as much as 66%.

Participants in the study included 174 children between the ages of 12 and 48 months who had had at least two upper respiratory tract infections in the previous three months. They were given either 35 or 75 mg of baker’s yeast beta glucan or a placebo once per day for 12 weeks. One hundred fifty six of the children completed the study.

At the conclusion of the study, 85% of the children in the placebo group had one or more episodes of infectious illness. In comparison, only 47% of the 35 mg group and 32% in the 75 mg group had one or more episodes of infectious illness. Additionally, the placebo group had significantly more days of upper respiratory symptoms compared to the beta glucan groups.

Researchers from H&J CRO International conducted the study. It was presented at the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Clinical Nutrition Week 2016, held the week of January 16th.

Previous studies have linked beta glucan intake with lower cholesterol, managing diabetes, controlling allergies and improving the appearance of skin.

Beta glucan can be found in dietary sources including yeasts, algae, lichens, oats and barley. A high quality supplement is also a good option if you’re looking to increase your beta glucan intake.

Previous studies have shown that prolonged strenuous exercise suppresses immune responses in athletes. A recent study has found that less active people may also experience a drop in immune responses post-exercise and that taking a daily supplement of baker’s yeast beta glucan may help improve mucosal immunity after exercise in people who do not regularly exercise.

Participants in the study included 109 young men and women between the ages of 18 and 35. They were given either 250 mg of a baker’s yeast beta glucan supplement or a placebo for 10 days. After the 10 days of supplementation, the participants were instructed to briskly walk or jog on a treadmill for 90 minutes in a hot, humid environment.

The researchers found that the supplement group had increases in salivary IgA when compared with the placebo group. Salivary IgA is an antibody that plays a role in mucosal immunity, This suggests that baker’s yeast beta gluten does, in fact, help bolster immunity after moderate exercise.

Researchers from the University of North Texas conducted the study. It was presented at the National Strength and Conditioning Association 2015 conference in Orlando, FL the week of April 6, 2015 .

Previous studies have linked beta-glucan intake with lower cholesterol, managing diabetes, controlling allergies and improving the appearance of skin.

Beta-glucan can be found in dietary sources including yeasts, algae, lichens, oats and barley. A high quality supplement is also a good option if you’re looking to increase your beta-glucan intake.

Many previous studies have found high levels of cholesterol, especially high levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol, to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. A recent study suggests that consuming beta-glucan may help lower total and LDL cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol.

Researchers from the People’s Hospital of Gaozhu in China examined 17 randomized controlled trials with a total of 916 subjects. Analysis of the data from the studies showed that beta-glucan was associated with an average 26 mmol/L and 21 mmol/L reduction of total and LDL cholesterol, respectively, but only in people with high cholesterol.

There were no adverse effects noted in any of the trials.

The study was published online ahead of print on April 29, 2015, in Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Disease.

Previous studies have linked beta-glucan intake with lower cholesterol, managing diabetes, controlling allergies and improving the appearance of skin.

Beta-glucan can be found in dietary sources such as yeasts, algae, lichens, oats and barley. A high quality supplement is also a good option if you’re looking to increase your beta-glucan intake.

Very strenuous exercise has been shown to weaken the immune system, putting professional athletes and other individuals with very physical jobs at a higher risk for illness. A recent study found that taking a supplement of baker’s yeast beta glucan lowered the amount of cold and flu symptoms in runners by 37% after a marathon.

Another study by the same researchers suggests that the baker’s yeast beta glucan supplement may result in a 32% increase in salivary immunoglobin (Ig-A). Ig-A protects the upper respiratory tract from infection, and levels often drop dramatically following intense exercise.

Participants in the first study included 182 marathon runners who took either 250 mg of baker’s yeast beta glucan daily or a placebo daily. The researchers tracked the occurrence of upper respiratory tract infections in the participants post marathon. They found that the supplement group had a higher degree of immune support both pre and post marathon than the placebo group. They also noted the 37% reduction in cold and flu symptoms in the supplement group.

In the second study, 60 participants were given either 250 mg of beta glucan or a placebo for 10 days prior to a session on a stationary bicycle in a heat-stress lab. Changes in salivary Ig-A were measured. The beta-glucan group had a 32% increase in Ig-A 2 hours post exercise, compared to placebo.

Researchers from the University of North Texas, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Houston conducted the study. It was published in the September 2013 issue of British Journal of Nutrition.

Previous studies have linked beta-glucan intake with lower cholesterol, managing diabetes, controlling allergies and improving the appearance of skin.

Beta-glucan can be found in dietary sources including yeasts, algae, lichens, oats and barley. A high quality supplement is also a good option if you’re looking to increase your beta-glucan intake.

Stress is a common problem that can have a detrimental effect on the immune system. Researchers with SupplementWatch conducted a study that found that taking supplements of yeast beta-glucan may improve the immune system and mood of stressed women.

The study included 77 women with an average age of 38. All of the participants had moderate levels of psychological stress. Over the course of 12 weeks, half of the group took a placebo while the other half took 250 mg of a yeast beta-glucan supplement daily.

The researchers used a health log to track upper respiratory symptoms. At the end of the supplementation period, only 10% of the supplement group reported symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, compared to 29% of the placebo group.

The Profile of Mood States survey was used to measure any changes in mental state and overall wellbeing. After 12 weeks, the supplement group showed a 29% improvement in mood, compared with only 16% in the placebo group. The yeast beta-glucan group also had a 41% improvement in energy levels, while the placebo group improved by only 7%.

The study was published in the August 2012 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

Yeast beta-glucan has been shown to produce the best immune support results of all beta glucans. It can be found in baker’s yeast, and can also be obtained from a high quality supplement.

Previous studies have linked yeast beta-glucan with lower cholesterol, managing diabetes, controlling allergies and improving the appearance of skin.