Beta Glucan Quality

Finding a real, high quality Beta 1, 3-d glucan product is not a easy task with the market flooded with "beta glucan" products these days. Everyone is making claims theirs is the best...

But can they prove it...

No knowledgeable person argues the safety of bakers yeast derived Beta 1, 3-d glucan if, sufficient fats and proteins have been removed. The FDA has even issued a GRAS rating for baker's yeast and its extracts.

This is where the quality issue starts. If the extraction process is done correctly the Beta 1, 3-d glucan linkage remains intact. If the process is not completed the linkage is destroyed.

What should you look for in a high quality product

Below are the guidelines developed based on historical peer reviewed articles found in various medical journals on Beta 1, 3-d glucan.

• Quality tests conducted by independent 3rd party free of outside influences. The 3rd party should be well recognized and respected lab.

• There is no peer reviewed research that shows Beta 1, 3-d glucan is effective if the purity level of the 1, 3-d linkage falls below 80%.

• The carbohydrate (glucan is a polyglucose) content is a least 94%. This is the combination of the various linkages found in a high quality product.
  
  An example for this can be found on a high quality products label;
  
  

  Percentage of Linkage	Linkage Type
  86.6%	1, 3 glucose linkage
  2.1%	1, 6 glucose linkage
  5.8%	3, 6 glucose linkage
  1.9%	2, 3 glucose linkage

The total of this carbohydrate content of this product is 96.4%.

• The 1, 3 linkage portion of the glucan is at least 85%. (textbook perfect).
  
  

• The 1, 6 linkage is within the textbook limits to confirm a proper molecule.
  
  

• The other glucan linkages are appropriate according to textbook limits.
  
  

• There are no signs of excess mannose or glucose. (Spiking to create false data)

Other quality issues

Excess protein in a Beta glucan product is not something you want. It can lead to adverse reactions such as yeast infections.

3rd party testing of a manufacturers Beta 1, 3-d glucan product for the 1, 3-d glucan linkage, proteins, and fillers will help us identify which product meets or exceeds the quality criteria as describe herein so we can easily identify if our product is safe and effective

Below are graphs representing five of the most popular Beta glucan products. This was a 3rd part hands off test. What hands-off means is the manufacturer did not have any contact with the manufacturer thorough out the testing process. That included the actual purchase of the products.

These tests were conducted at Johns Hopkins & rTech Laboratories. R-Tech Laboratories is ISO 17025 and ISO 9002 certified using methods approved by the FDA and the USDA. rTech is a comprehensive food testing laboratory, research facility and business unit of Land O' Lakes, Inc. 

1-3 d glucose content. How much of actual Beta 1, 3-d glucan are you getting when you purchase a Beta glucan product.

You will discover the fact that many products contain little or no active 1, 3-d linkage.

Their has been no peer reviewed studies that have support anything below a 80% linkage content level. In other words, there is no beneficial immune support effects on any product who's 1, 3-d glucan content is below 80%.

The medicinal mushrooms of ancient oriental lore may offer a great Shakespearian play on immune support, however it is the yeast derived Beta 1, 3-d glucan material with all the positive medical research behind it.

With all the controversy over quality from imported dietary supplements, nothing will give you piece-of-mind like a product produced in the United States and independently verified for quality will. Imported counterfeit drugs aren't the only problem we face today, imported dietary supplements are also an issue. Imports will tell us that they are just as good as the laboratory certified, university tested and US Patented and manufactured product… but how do you know... It's imported and you have no idea how it was manufactured. As the graph show, Transfer Point Glucan 300 is the only one that delivers the key active ingredient in a dose that is effective AND if is "Made in America."

The graph to the right Protein is definitely something you do not want a lot of in a Beta glucan product.

A pure Beta 1, 3-d glucan product is derived for the cell wall of bakers yeast, so most of the protein is removed. The protein is found on the inner and outer wall of the yeast cell while the 1, 3-d glucose linkage is found in the mid-section.

If the product is properly manufactured the proteins will be stripped away leaving the glucose linkage intact.

Many customers purchase other lower cost products only to come back to the real product after realizing the low cost products had no beneficial effect and in some cases adverse effects. Don't waste your time and health on inferior products. Only purchase products that have a proven track record verified by independent third parties.

Ash is used to increase the weight of a product.

Ash has absolutely no immune support benefits what-so-ever. It is completely inert.

As the chart on the left show, Transfer Point Glucan 300 products have the lowest concentration of ash of any of the five products tested. To review the immune potentiation capabilities of Glucan 300 click here.

A filler-a-day keep real immune support away. Many manufactures use fillers in their products to increase the size. There is no benefits to this strategy except to the manufacturer.

Fillers can decrease absorption. In one study the percent dissolution (the time required for a capsule to dissolve) for capsules went from 90% dissolved to only 25% dissolved.

Why the big difference

What was in the capsules

The one that showed a 25% dissolution after 20 minutes had stearates.

Some fillers may also contain hidden lactose or other allergenic ingredients.

Cost: Value is defined as a fair return or equivalent in goods, services, or money for something exchanged.

The chart below shows how much Beta 1, 3-D glucan you get for your hard earned dollar. Sure there are cheaper products out there, however why would we buy something that offer no benefit whatsoever and may in fact provide just the opposite.

When purchasing a Beta glucan product don't waste your hard earned money on fillers and other contaminates.

We get the best product for the best value when we buy products with a proven track record backed up by independent scientific research.

We have reviewed products costing as high as $85 and as low as $50. We have also reviewed others well below the $50 mark and time and time again they prove they do not contain the important active ingredient to turn on our immune systems. Don't waste your money on unproven products.

Independent tests re-verify quality.

More independent comparison tests have been conducted on purity levels of many other Beta glucan products.

Below is a chart that shows the results and the facts are clear