What is Beta Glucan?

From a scientific standpoint, glucans represent a unique structure comprised of glucose. The Beta, sometimes seen as "β" signifies that the glucose molecules are hooked together in a unique fashion (as opposed to Alpha or "ά")

On top of that, you have 1,3 linked; 1,6 side chains; 1,4 linked etc. adding more confusion. The Beta 1,3 linked glucans tend to form long chains that wind around themselves resembling a helix (similar to a DNA molecule). The 1,4 linked glucans are linear, like laying out a chain, flat and straight.

You can find Beta Glucan in grain, seaweed, and cell wall of bacteria and cell wall of fungi. Fungal forms, predominantly mushrooms and yeast are the top two sources and the primary starting materials for all the medical literature and research.

Having the option to do either, I looked at which source could be safest, most effective and least costly to the consumer. I chose the yeast form, specifically, the Baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Here are some of the top reasons:

1. Safety - Baker's yeast and its extracts have a Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) rating with the FDA. There is no known toxicity at any dose level. There is published specific human clinical safety experience with particulate yeast b1,3-glucan in the human food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical areas in doses up to 12 gm per day for 8 weeks (Nicolosi, et. al., Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 1999; 70: 208-12).
2. Effectiveness - Though I am confident that mushroom is a great source, it requires extensive purification and extraordinarily high doses. According to the medical literature on human patients 3000 to 6000 mg daily for an average 150 lb person. About 1500 mg of Beta 1,3-D glucan from Baker's yeast will accomplish therapeutic response. (The cost factor here makes mushroom impractical if you seek a therapeutic dose)
3. Research - Nearly all of the research on mushroom glucans comes from Japan and other SE Asian venues. While very compelling, it is not as persuasive as research from Harvard, Tulane, University of Louisville, etc and other great US universities reporting on the yeast source glucans.
4. Cost - If I started out with a pound of mushroom and a pound of baker's yeast and removed as much of the contaminants as possible (fats, protein, ash, etc), I end up with several times the active ingredient (Beta 1,3-D glucan). According to the USDA, a raw mushroom has 4.08% by weight of carbohydrates, where yeast has 38.2%. Since Beta Glucan represents the gross majority of the carbohydrate portion of these two sources, I would recover over 9 times the active material.

Why is grain glucan not a viable alternative? To substantially enhance the immune system, it is worthless. The 1,4 linkage would be like trying to put a Ford key into the ignition of a Chevy to crank it. The 1,4 glucan does NOT effectively turn on the glucan receptors of the key immune cells that the Beta 1,3-D glucan does. However, a 1000 mg dose of either WILL help lower cholesterol.

So what is the BEST Beta Glucan for you immune system? It is Beta 1,3-D glucan from Baker's yeast that has the highest purity of carbohydrates and highest concentration of the 1,3 linkage with 1,6 side linkage. Yeast-derived Beta 1,3-D glucans work, in part, by stimulating the innate anti-fungal immune mechanisms to fight a range of foreign challenges. That would be ours!!!!

2)The Immune System and The Nervous System

The Immune System and the Nervous System

by A. J. Lanigan

Biological links between the immune system and the central nervous system exist several levels.

Hormones and other chemicals such as neuropeptides, which convey messages among nerve cells, have been found also to "speak" to cells of the immune system—and some immune cells even manufacture typical neuropeptides. In addition, networks of nerve fibers have been found to connect directly to the lymphoid organs.

The picture that is emerging is of closely interlocked systems facilitating a two-way flow of information. Immune cells, it has been suggested, may function in a sensory capacity, detecting the arrival of foreign invaders and relaying chemical signals to alert the brain. The brain, for its part, may send signals that guide the traffic of cells through the lymphoid organs.

The immune system protects you against foreign invaders, cancer and facilitates the mechanisms of all healing. Help keep you body and mind healthy by keeping your immune system strong.

3) Beta Glucan Patents - Validity of Beta Glucan Patents Recognized in Settlement of Patent Infringement Lawsuit

6/20/2003 - A settlement in a patent infringement lawsuit against Levapan S.A. and Savoury Systems International Inc. has been reached. Under the terms of the settlement agreement filed in U.S. Federal District Court in Minnesota, Levapan and Savoury Systems International recognize and agree to the validity of patents relating to beta 1,3/1,6 glucan and agree not to sell yeast-based beta 1,3/1,6 glucan products in the United States.

We are pleased to have reached a successful settlement pertaining to a patent lawsuit that recognizes the validity of our beta glucan patents. We appreciate the efforts of Levapan and Savory Systems International in quickly settling this lawsuit and look forward to a strong supplier relationship in which we will recive the raw material baker's yeast and then properly purify for human use. BETACAN (Trade Name) is one patent infringing product sold here in the US. See companies listed below that are or have sold BETACAN. Caveat Emptor! I am highly suspect of these companies and other sham products they may be promoting. Assays on the beta glucan products showed them to be substantially below 50% pure, though the companies promoted otherwise.

This is the second time that infringement has resulted in litigation. The U.S. District Court, Minnesota District, has issued a permanent injunction prohibiting High Performance Living Corporation (HPL) from selling nutritional supplements containing yeast beta glucan in violation of two of our patents. The Court found that HPL's products infringed upon one or more claims of both U.S. Patent 5,576,015 and U.S. Patent 5,702,719. Chad Trowell, owner of HPL purchased his beta glucan from Chip and Michelle Dopson. They operate under several corporate faces such as Chisolm Biological Labs (CBL), Specialty Meats, Southern Savory Products, etc. Chad Trowell purchased BetaMax in blank bottles from the Dopsons and applied a label that was identical in every way to our Transfer Point Beta 1,3-D glucan labels. He then attempted to pass them off as the "same" or "just as good" using the data supplied by Chisolm. We responded with a patent lawsuit.

The U.S Federal Court public record speaks for itself.
1. The beta glucan that Chip & Michelle Dopson produce (BetaMax) was sold to Trowell @ High Performance Living (HPL)
.
2. After effectively attempting to counterfeit our labels and suggest an equivalent product, we sued in U. S. Federal District Court.

3. Michelle Dopson by sworn affidavit stated that they produce that product for HPL and other companies and do NO mechanical preparation. (This is direct admission of lack of attempt to adequately process to purify the yeast.)

4. A sworn affidavit from Trowell, after testing the CBL BetaMax, that it required twice as much to equal a single dose of what I was manufacturing for him. He further stated that this ½ purity was par for the industry.

5. The U. S. Federal Court Order summarizes with some key points. During arguments, in an attempt to avoid patent prosecution, the Defendant's attorney argued vigorously that, "It is impossible to find the product in violation because it could not be found to be highly purified, that at best only 46.44% was beta 1,3 glucan."

Though not contained in the Order, the Judge queried as to why the bottles and the websites claimed 94.3% carbohydrate of which was 86.6% 1,3 glucose. He also asked, "Do I understand that your defense against patent infringement is a fraud upon the public?"

More than 200 U.S. and international patents protect the composition, manufacturing and applications of its yeast beta 1,3 glucan compounds and products. The application patents include use of yeast beta 1,3 glucans in pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, cosmetics, animal feed and nutrition and functional foods.

It is critical to understand that intellectual property rights are no less important than the rights that you assert to protect your home, automobile, or your child's bicycle. In these cases, not only are the property rights of those doing research and manufacturing a safe, effective product being usurped; the purveyors of these sham products line their pockets and give nothing in the way of good to the end user, the science or country. They act as a thief that sees no harm to his victims as long as they are not caught and prosecuted.

Former BETACAN Promoters:
Arrowhead Health Works (Carolyn Bormann, N.D., C.M.H.T), Twin Peaks CA; Natural Path Silver Wings, Nashville TN; hfmnet.com

4) New Research Supports Ability of Beta 1,3-D Glucan to Safely Enhance Human Immune Function

Our Beta 1,3-D whole glucan particulate is the 0nly yeast Beta 1,3/1,6 glucan
supported by a Human Phase I Clinical Study.

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but results of a recent human clinical study suggest far better results may be obtained with a dietary supplement and functional food ingredient called Beta Glucan..

Beta 1,3-D Glucan is a patented carbohydrate extracted and highly purified from the cell walls of Baker’s yeast. Produced and manufactured totally right here is the good old USA, a whole glucan particulate Beta 1,3-D Glucan is the active ingredient in our 100 mg capsules, our 500 mg capsules, our BetaXanthinTM and our Formula III lotion. All of these products help to support immune function.

In an independent study conducted by Biophage Pharma Inc., a Canadian biopharmaceutical company, normal human volunteers were dosed for 10 consecutive days with one 250 milligram-capsule containing Beta 1,3-D Glucan whole glucan particles. The subjects were monitored for 30 days. This human clinical showed that the Beta Glucan was safe and well tolerated, as evidenced by the lack of significant changes in key blood and liver enzymes. It also significantly increased phagocytic capacity (see chart)—the ability of the innate immune cells to eat and destroy foreign intruders.

On day ten (10) of the study, our Beta Glucan increased the percentage of immune cells able to phagocytose one target particle from 63.8% to 83.2% (P< .05). The number of highly phagocytic cells—those consuming at least three particles—increased from 37.3% to more than 50% (P< .05). These results show that taking Beta Glucan enhanced the human immune system to defend the body against a challenge.

“To my knowledge, this is the only Beta Glucan that is yeast-based that has been shown scientifically to enhance immune function in humans,” said A.J. Lanigan. A.J. Lanigan manufactures all of the Beta Glucan based products for Transfer Point, LLC and is part owner of the US manufacturing facility and company which owns patents protecting all of his Beta Glucan products and all use of yeast beta glucans in dietary supplements and functional foods.

“The results are consistent with the biological activity of Beta 1,3-D Glucan observed in numerous animal studies,” said Rosemonde Mandeville, M.B. ChB. Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer of Biophage Pharma. In addition, researchers also found that Beta 1,3-D Glucan increased plasma cytokines INF-y and TNF-a, which play an important role in regulating the body’s immune response. There was no significant increase in cytokine IL-1, which can cause fever, chills and muscle aches associated with other immune-enhancing supplements.

5) Beta 1,3-D Glucan Accepted for Inclusion in U.S. Screening Program for Potential SARS Treatments

June 24, 2003 - The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), in collaboration with the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, has agreed to evaluate Beta 1,3-D Glucan whole glucan particulate as a potential treatment or preventative agent for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Beta 1,3-D Glucan whole glucan particulate is a patented immune modulator that has shown in numerous animal studies to protect against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and viral, fungal and parasitic infections. Our Beta Glucan is one of thousands of compounds that the NIAID is testing to find a treatment for SARS. Under a cooperative agreement with NIAID and USAMRIID, our Beta Glucan may also be evaluated against Smallpox, West Nile Virus, Vaccinia and Cowpox.

In March, the company published promising animal research on the ability of our Beta Glucan to enhance the innate immune system to protect against anthrax. The study, published in the Journal Medscape General Medicine, was the result of more than a decade of ongoing research on immune modulators by Defence R&D Canada, an agency within the Canadian Department of National Defence.

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