What ingredients are in Viridian's Beta Glucan?

Supporting a healthy immune system is important for increasing resistance to and preventing infections. The ingredients in Beta Glucan with Vitamins C, D and Zinc help build a resilient immune system and support immunity without being an immune stimulant. Daily use may help reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections, especially when due to increased mental and physical stress. 1,3-1,6 beta glucan naturally occurs in plants such as mushrooms with a historical use for immunity. 1,3-1,6 beta glucan clusters around a receptor (Dectin-1) on immune cells (e.g. macrophages and neutrophils) involved in recognition of pathogens and “primes” them for defense. The primed immune cells direct cellular antimicrobial activity (e.g. phagocytosis) only when they come into direct contact with a microbe.1 Thus, 1,3-1,6 beta glucan strengthens immunity without being an immune stimulant.

Vitamin D was unknowingly used to treat infections long before the arrival of antibiotics; cod liver oil and sunlight (sources of vitamin D) were both popular treatments for diseases such as tuberculosis. It is now known that your immune systems ability to fight infection is completely dependant on adequate vitamin D levels.

Zinc has been used therapeutically for thousands of years with zinc tablets discovered in a 2200-year old shipwreck off the coast of Italy. Zinc deficiency is important because it results in severe immune system dysfunction, which can be corrected with zinc supplementation.

Vitamin C also plays an important role in maintaining immunity with clinical studies showing vitamin C supplementation supports the production and function of white blood cells such as neutrophils and lymphocytes. Vitamin C is also essential for the early anti-viral response to influenza infection.

How do BETA GLUCAN's help our immune system?

Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are typically caused by viruses with the most common being rhinovirus (the common cold) or influenza (the flu). A number of studies suggest daily use of 1,3-1,6 beta glucan can help reduce the risk of URTIs.

In a group of stressed women, supplementation with 250 mg per day of 1,3-1,6 beta glucan for 12-weeks reduced upper respiratory symptoms compared to placebo (10% vs 29%), resulted in better overall well-being, mood, higher mental and physical energy levels.

Another study in moderate to highly stressed men and women found that 250 mg daily of 1,3-1,6 beta glucan for 4-weeks resulted in fewer upper respiratory tract infection symptoms, better overall health and increased vigour, and decreased tension and fatigue.

Daily supplementation with 1,3-1,6 beta glucan has also been shown to reduce risk of infection in people under physical stress from high-level exercise. Compared to placebo, daily supplementation with 250 mg of 1,3-1,6 beta glucan was shown to reduce the number of colds and flu symptom days by 37% after a marathon.

What does Vitamin D do?

Clinical studies have found Vitamin D effective for prevention of infections. A review and analysis of 11 placebo-controlled studies including 5660 people concluded that vitamin D has a protective effect against respiratory tract infections, and that daily dosing was 3.5 times more effective than weekly or monthly doses. In one such study adults daily supplementation with 800 to 2000 IU of vitamin D a day through winter significantly reduced incidence of cold and influenza symptoms. Vitamin D deficiency has also been associated with respiratory infections in athletes and recurrent urinary tract infections in women.

Does VITAMIN C prevent Colds and Flu?

is an effective way to prevent colds and flu with a 5-year study showing that the risk of contracting three or more colds was decreased by 66% with daily intake of a 500- mg vitamin C supplement. In people exposed to physical stress (marathon runners, skiers, and soldiers training in the Arctic), doses ranging from 250 mg to 1 gram per day decreased the incidence of colds by an average of 50%.15

How does Zinc affect the immune system?

Mild dietary zinc deficiency has been shown to negatively affect immunity, significantly reducing natural killer (NK) cell activity for example.16 An analysis of 13 studies where zinc was used as a treatment for the common cold and two preventative studies concluded that zinc supplementation is an effective treatment and when used as a preventative it reduces cold incidence