Beta-Glucan

The Basics On Beta-Glucan

What is Beta-Glucan?

Polysaccharide sugar derived from yeast or oats. It has some antioxidant properties and is a skin-soothing agent.

What are other names for Beta-Glucan?

(1&RT ARROW; 3),(1&RT ARROW; 4)- B-D-GLUCAN, B-D-GLUCAN, (1&RT ARROW; 3),(1&RT ARROW; 4)-, BETA-GLUCAN, BETAGLUCAN, and GLUCAN, BETA-

What is Beta-Glucan used for?

Beta glucans are polysaccharide sugars found in cell walls that are derived from various mushrooms, plants, algaes, yeasts or oats. … In skin care, beta glucans work twofold to soothe and calm irritated skin and as an effective anti-ager to firm and plump fine lines and wrinkles.

How Beta-Glucan is classified

Skin-Soothing, Antioxidants

Recommendations for using Beta-Glucan during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Limited data suggests no known risk

 

Beta-Glucan During Pregnancy

What we know about using Beta-Glucan while pregnant or breastfeeding

Limited information available.

Beta-glucan. A developmental study was performed with 0%, 5%, or 15% beta-glucan (as curdlan) with a control group of 40 male and 80 female CD rats and test groups of 20 male and 40 female rats.42 The animals, which were mated twice, were fed the test diet throughout the study. Twenty of the treated dams nursed their own litters; the other 20 treated dams switched litters with the control dams so that treated animals would nurse control pups and control animals would nurse test pups. The F1a offspring were killed prior to the second mating. No changes in mortality, behavior, or appearance were observed. Male sires of the 15% beta-glucan group had decreased growth rates compared to controls, and males and females of the I 5% group had decreased feed consumption. At birth, there were no differences in fertility or lactation among the groups, and no abnormalities were reported. However, survival of the Fla, but not the F lb, pups of the 5% group was statistically significantly decreased compared to controls. Weight gain of all Fla litters of treated dams that nursed their own pups was statistically significantly decreased compared to controls; for the F I b litters, the difference was statistically significant only in the I 5% group. Statistically significant decreases in weight gain were also observed for pups of treated dams that were nursed by control dams, but the effect was reduced. Statistically significant decreased weight gain at some intervals was also observed for control pups nursed by treated dams. A no observable effect level (NOEL) was not established. The researchers also examined whether there would be decreased weight gain by the pups if dosing was discontinued during lactation. The protocol was similar to that just described, except that all groups consisted of 20 male and 40 female CD rats, and there was no crossover at lactation. Weight gain by all pups during lactations was similar, although the researchers did state that the pups could have consumed par­ental diet from day IO+. The NOEL for parental toxicity and embryotoxicity was 15% beta-glucan. A 3-generation reproductive study was performed in which groups of 20 male and 40 female CD rats were fed a diet containing 0%, I%, 5%, or 15% beta-glucan (as curdlan) for l00 days.42 The F0 parents were mated twice, and the number of parents was halved after weaning of the first litter. The F 1 parents were mated 3 times and the F2 parents were mated twice. The F1b and F2b litters were used to produce the next generation. After the third mating of the F 1 parents, half of the F 1 dams were killed on day I 3 of gestation, and the remaining dams were killed on day 20 of gestation. Mean growth and feed consumption were slightly decreased in male parental rats of the F0 and F 1 generations of the 15% group. No gross or microscopic changes were observed in F2 parents. No treatment-related effects on reproductive and developmental parameters were observed, but BWs of pups in almost all litters in all generations were statistically signif­icantly decreased during lactation in the 15% group. Biologi­cally significant differences in BWs were not seen in litters of the other dose groups. No gross or microscopic lesions were observed in the F Jb pups of the 15% group. In the F 1 parents killed after the third mating, no reproductive or developmental effects were observed. Mean fetal weights in all groups were statistically significantly decreased compared to controls; how­ever, there was no dose response. The NOEL for parental ani­mals was 5%, based on decreased growth and increased cecal weights at 15% beta-glucan, and the NOEL for embryotoxicity was also 5%, based on decreased weight gain during lactation in the 15% beta-glucan group. The teratogenic potential of beta-glucan (as curdlan) was determined using groups of 15 to 20 gravid Dutch-belted rab­bits.42 The rabbits were dosed orally with 0, 1, 2, or 5 g/kg BW/d beta-glucan in a gelatin capsule delivered using a syr­inge. The 5 g/kg dose was administered as 2 divided doses, and the controls received 2 empty capsules. The rabbits were killed on day 28 of gestation. None of the controls died, but 1, 1, and 3 dams of the 1, 2, and 5 g/kg BW/day groups, respectively, died during the study. Eleven resorptions were observed in the high­dose group, as compared to 4 in the control group, 6 in the 1 g/kg group, and 5 in the 2 g/kg group. The researchers stated, how­ever, that the number of dams with resorptions was similar in all groups and that no teratogenic effects were observed. The NOEL for both maternal and embryotoxicity was 5 g/kg BW/d.

General safety info about Beta-Glucan from CIR

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel assessed the safety of 34 microbial polysaccharide gums for use in cosmetics, finding that these ingredients are safe in cosmetic formulations in the present practices of use and concentration. The microbial polysaccharide gums named in this report have a variety of reported functions in cosmetics, including emulsion stabilizer, film former, binder, viscosity-increasing agent, and skin-conditioning agent. The Panel reviewed available animal and clinical data in making its determination of safety.

Use this, not that!

Products where you might find Beta-Glucan

Dr. Barbara Sturm Night Serum; Dr. Barbara Sturm Balancing Toner; REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Anti-Redness Serum