Yeast (1,3)-(1,6)-beta-glucan helps to maintain the body’s defence against pathogens: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicentric study in healthy subjects

• Published in: European journal of nutrition Vol. 52; no. 8; pp. 1913 - 1918
• Main Authors: Auinger, Annegret, Riede, Linda, Bothe, Gordana, Busch, Regina, Gruenwald, Joerg
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.12.2013; Springer Berlin Heidelberg; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; beta-glucans; beta-Glucans - pharmacology; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; clinical trials; common cold; Common Cold - drug therapy; Common Cold - prevention & control; Dietary Supplements; Double-Blind Method; drug therapy; Female; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nutrition; Original Contribution; pathogens; pharmacology; physicians; prevention & control; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - chemistry; sleep; Treatment Outcome; yeasts; Young Adult; Common cold; Randomized; Insoluble yeast beta-glucan; Placebo-controlled; Double-blind study; Immune system
• ISSN: 1436-6207; 1436-6215; 1436-6215
• DOI: 10.1007/s00394-013-0492-z

PURPOSE: The effect of brewers’ yeast (1,3)-(1,6)-beta-D-glucan consumption on the number of common cold episodes in healthy subject was investigated. METHODS: In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized, multicentric clinical trial, 162 healthy participants with recurring infections received 900 mg of either placebo (n = 81) or an insoluble yeast (1,3)-(1,6)-beta-D-glucan preparation (n = 81) per day over a course of 16 weeks. Subjects were instructed to document each occurring common cold episode in a diary and to rate ten predefined infection symptoms during an infections period, resulting in a symptom score. The subjects were examined by the investigator during the episode visit on the 5th day of each cold episode. RESULTS: In the per protocol population, supplementation with insoluble yeast (1,3)-(1,6)-beta-glucan reduced the number of symptomatic common cold infections by 25 % as compared to placebo (p = 0.041). The mean symptom score was 15 % lower in the beta-glucan as opposed to the placebo group (p = 0.125). Beta-glucan significantly reduced sleep difficulties caused by cold episode as compared to placebo (p = 0.028). Efficacy of yeast beta-glucan was rated better than the placebo both by physicians (p = 0.004) participants (p = 0.012). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that yeast beta-glucan preparation increased the body’s potential to defend against invading pathogens.