GENERAL INFORMATION

WHAT IS BETA GLUCAN?

Beta glucan is a complex carbohydrate or biopolymer of glucose, a simple sugar.

It is derived from several sources, including yeast, bacteria, fungi and cereals, such as oats, barley and rye. Each type of beta glucan has a unique structure in which glucose is linked together in different ways, giving them physical properties.

For example, beta 1,3 glucan derived from bacteria and algae is linear, making it useful as a food thickener. Yeast beta glucan is branched with ?,6 and ?,3 glucans, enhancing its ability to bind and stimulate macrophages. The chemical structure of beta 1,3- glucan is dependent on the source and, based on extensive published research, it is widely accepted that the beta 1,3-glucan purified from baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is the most potent anti-infective beta-glucan immunomodulator . Yeast-derived beta 1,3-glucans work, in part, by stimulating the innate anti-fungal immune mechanisms to fight a range of foreign challenges.

Deriving Yeast Beta Glucan
Extracting beta 1,3 glucan from Baker's yeast, also known as saccharomyces cerevisiae , involves stripping away various layers of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and other materials that make up a yeast cell. This process is critical because mannoproteins, comprising the outermost layer, has been shown to induce inflammatory bowel flares.

Components of Yeast Beta 1,3 Glucan
Following purification, what remains is a whole glucan particle, the skeletal sphere that once provided structure to the cell. whole glucan particles can be further broken down into various components, each with differing affinities for binding to subsets of beta glucan receptors on the macrophage cell surface. This differential binding to the macrophage cell surface is responsible for activating a specific response by the immune system.
The forms of beta 1,3 glucan include:
Triple helical multimer, which, like the cables of a suspension bridge, provides structure and support to the cell wall
Triple helix is akin to a strand of the beta glucan suspension cable
Single helix is a fraction of the triple helix strand.
Random coil is the smallest component of beta glucan.  
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