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Beta glucan

Beta Glucan

Originally discovered in the 1940s by dr. Louis Pillemer, beta glucans are naturally occuring chains of D-glucose monomers. They contain only glucose as their structural component and can be commonly found as cellulose in plants. Their poly-branched B-1,3-(D)-glucan monomers, with or without their B-1,6 sidechains, are often integral cell wall constituents within a variety of fungi, plants and bacteria. Basically, they consist only of glucose molecules linked with beta-glycosidic bonds. Those glycosidic bonds are essentially oxygen bridges that turn monosaccharide units into polisaccharide chains.

In nature, they are known as "biological defense modifiers" (BDM), as they potentiate and modulate the immune response, and thus strenghten our immune system. It is due to their ability to activate the macrophage immune cells, NK-cells, T-cells and B-cells. Other effects, both good and bad, are still not completely researched despite all the scientific literature. For the most part, beta glucans are completely safe, and in fact useful in human nutrition, as they only boost our immune system and protect us from external harm.