Many have heard that a substance such as beta-glucan exists. (β-glucan). But few people know what it is, what it is used for and how it works. These and other issues are discussed in this article.
Where does the substance come from
There are several types of polysaccharides according to the type of beta-glucan, which differ in the degree of molecular branching and therefore they have different activity. The most active forms of this substance, which have found industrial pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, are extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae - baker's yeast and fungal walls with wood-destroying mushrooms, oat bran, barley and several other crops. It is especially widely used in the form of syrups for various needs.
The production of beta-glucan in easily digestible form occurs in a chemically complex way. For this, high-temperature processing and extraction of raw materials are used, the output is soluble and insoluble forms of the substance, which differ markedly in particle size.
In cosmetology, beta-glucan is used in both forms: insoluble is added to sorbitol powders and syrups, and water-soluble ones are contained in lotions, creams, and serums. This substance not only does not interfere with the action of other agents, but sometimes even contributes to their better absorption into the skin.
Medical use is based on the powerful immunostimulating properties of beta-glucan.
Mushroom Beta Glucan
For more than three millennia in the medicine of the East, mushrooms have been used in the treatment of various diseases. Out of the order of several thousand of their varieties, only a few dozen are used, which are called "medical mushrooms." This title is deserved because they have excellent healing properties in the fight against tumors, radiation and reduced immunity. Studies of these properties by experts from different countries, including Japan, China, the USA, Russia and others have proved their effectiveness.
The main active ingredient of fungi is polysaccharides with a long chain. With the help of extraction, the most effective polysaccharide beta-glucan is isolated, the purity of which is up to 95% of the finished product. Then, after the micronization procedure, this indicator increases, increasing the bioactivity of the product, which allows it to be quickly absorbed through the small intestine.
By production only natural substances are used.
Beta Glucan for Cosmetology
For cosmetic purposes, the substance is isolated from yeast cells. For the first time such a procedure was carried out in the early forties of the last century. As a result, a crude substance with polysaccharides was obtained, which markedly increased immunity due to cell binding to macrophages - cells of the immune system.
The beta-glucan molecule is a complex chain of sugar units that interact with which dead cells are destroyed. Along with this, interferons begin to work, which causes increased formation of elastin and collagen, as well as the production of hyaluronic acid. The formation of capillaries is also accelerated, and the walls of the skin blood vessels are strengthened.
Skin macrophages penetrate the entire layer and reach the epidermis. When applied to the skin with beta-glucan preparations, especially of its form such as syrup or emulsion, they bind to epidermal cells and start the skin protection process. As a result of this, the beneficial substance is delivered to the deeper layers of the skin, cleansing it of infections, protecting it from environmental factors, toning, smoothing and increasing elasticity.
Substance for immunity
As everyone knows from the school course, immunity is a protective reaction of the body to the influence of the external environment. Human health depends on the state of immunity. The immune system is in operation constantly, without interruptions, protecting the body from exposure to harmful factors.
In the modern urbanized world, emitting various harmful frequencies, provoking stress, with poor ecology, immunity is sharply reduced, reducing protection against bacteria, viruses and parasites. This causes malfunctions in the functioning of the body, which entails the emergence of various diseases, slagging of tissues and organs.
To continue further effective life, it is necessary to restore the protective properties of the body. This is where the modifier of the biological reaction of the body - beta-glucan comes to the rescue. Reviews doctors and scientists are unique - the effect of this element is unique.
Beta Glucan: Properties
The most important properties of this substance are:
- Powerful immune activation. This action causes an increase in the rate of maturation of immunocompetent cells, activation and increase in their life span.
- The tool allows old cells to fight foreign elements until new cells with this ability mature.
- Stimulating the production of cytoxins (interleukins and interferon) to activate cells of the immune system.
- Activation of the production of immune cells in the bone marrow.
- The substance is of a high level of purity, water-soluble, active when taken orally, especially in the form of syrup.
- Gives information to the immune system about the nature of the infection.
It is important to note this feature that the effect of beta-glucan is different from the action of other drugs that also stimulate the immune system. The effect of the latter is likely to cause an overactive reaction of the body, which can provoke an autoimmune disease.
Beta-glucan, reviews of doctors confirm this, on the contrary, it increases the response of the immune system without involving the mechanism of excessive reaction. It increases the functionality of lymphocytes (T cells) and macrophages, which find and eliminate foreign elements in the body and increase the specific and non-specific immune responses of the body. The process of using beta-glucan does not cause toxic or side effects. The easiest to digest fractions in the form of a syrup or emulsion.
Indications for use
Indications for the use of drugs containing beta-glucans are prevention and treatment:
- oncological diseases;
- complications and undesirable consequences of radiation and chemotherapy;
- any liver diseases (hepatitis, cirrhosis, hepatosis, dystrophy);
- manifestations of an allergic nature;
- atherosclerosis;
- diseases of weakened immunity (including HIV);
- flu, SARS, and colds;
- hypertension
- hyperglycemia that occurs with diabetes;
- high blood cholesterol;
- reduction of radiation factors;
- stressful conditions, chronic fatigue;
- systemic diseases.
Treatment of other diseases
The problem of treating malignant and benign tumors, which can lead to the former, is the main one in the sphere of interests of scientists and doctors. Benign formations occur against the background of malfunctioning cellular antitumor immunity with inhibition of macrophages. As a result, uncontrolled cell growth - neoplasms can occur in different places of the body.
The reason for this can be stress, poor ecology, poor quality nutrition and more. The property of beta-glucans is the effect on antitumor surveillance in order to activate this system by blocking the circulatory system of the tumor. This prevents the latter from increasing in size, interferes with its nutrition, as a result of which it then dries out.
“Beta Glucan” syrup and tablet forms of this substance help antitumor lymphocytes and other natural killers to penetrate the formation and fight there, and not just outside. This significantly increases the positive effect of anticancer therapy.
The drug is also used to treat other specific diseases:
- Diabetes mellitus and its complications are treated with mushroom extracts, which control the level of sugar in the blood and block its increase.
- Allergies of various origins. The therapeutic composition acts by reducing mast cell histamine production, which causes the disease.
- HIV Beta-glucan preparations soften the clinical picture of HIV patients by increasing the activity of lymphocytes, and disease remission is achieved.
- Autoimmune diseases with the development of pathology of tissues and organs as a result of a violation of the recognition mechanism of their own cells, which attack begins. This occurs with diseases such as asthma, lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma and others.
When such diseases occurred, traditional treatment was carried out with the help of immunosuppressants, with prolonged use giving severe side effects. With the discovery of beta-glucans, immunomodulators began to be treated, which did not have side effects.
Beta Glucan for the skin
The main properties of this substance, used for cosmetic purposes, are:
- Healing of skin lesions, such as wounds, cuts, scratches, burns, with the blocking of the development of infectious processes in these areas.
- Protective antioxidant effect as a natural filter from damage to ultraviolet rays, from harmful atmospheric influences, from the formation of tumor cells under the action of the sun.
- Cleansing anti-inflammatory property, under the influence of which bacteria, fungi are destroyed on the surface of the skin, dead cells and fat plugs are removed. The skin is cleansed, smoothed, the substance is also actively against the formation of dandruff.
- Thanks to the synthesis of collagen and elastin, which is enhanced by beta-glucan, wrinkles are noticeably smoothed, the regeneration of skin and cells is accelerated, the aging process slows down, and a rejuvenating effect is manifested.
- The moisturizing property is manifested in the stimulation of moisture penetration into the skin and the synthesis of hyaluronic acid.
- The strengthening effect is expressed in enhancing the nutrition of the hair follicles, as a result of which the condition of the hair improves.
Beta Glucan in cosmetics
The agents that make up this substance are as follows:
- night creams for mature skin;
- decongestant creams under the eyes;
- skin moisturizing agents;
- daily moisturizing face creams;
- tonics for oily skin;
- shaving products;
- sunscreen cosmetics;
- matting face gels;
- lotions and tonics for the care of problem and sensitive skin;
- anti-stress face care serums;
- cleansing and care products for hair (nourishing masks, shampoos, balms);
- serum and milk for smoothing wrinkles in the eyelids.
Beta glucan for children
This drug found its application in children's medical practice in the form of syrups. They are made with various fruit or citrus flavors (pineapple, orange, wild berries) and vitamin supplements. The degree of purification of the substance in baby syrups is 93%, micronization - up to 5μm. Such indicators contribute to the fact that the substance quickly penetrates through the intestinal epithelium into the blood and lymph.
The percentage of basic substance in five milliliters of syrup is thirty milligrams and the same amount of vitamin C is contained, which is half the daily requirement for this element. Also, the composition of syrups includes purified water, fructose and fruit natural flavors. The main substance here is beta-glucan. A syrup, reviews of which are only positive, regulates the activity of the children's immune system . It exhibits immunomodulating, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, hepatoprotective properties. Under its action, the circulatory, endocrine and nervous systems, as well as internal organs, normalize their work.
Drug use
Syrup "Beta Glucan", the instructions for which preserve it in a dry, cool place, it is recommended to use for children after they reach the age of one year.
The drug is given in its pure form or dissolved in a warm liquid for drinking at the request of the child. For children from one to three years, a dosage of one teaspoon per day is recommended, and older - in the amount of a tablespoon with the same frequency. The duration of admission is two to three months. To stop the disease at the initial stage, it is allowed to double the indicated doses in the first days.
Contraindications to the use of the drug "Beta Glucan" (syrup), instructions this clearly determines whether hypersensitivity to the components of the substance is.
Keep syrup away from sunlight. The pharmacy is dispensed without a prescription, as it is not a drug.