Beta-Glucans Research
48 peer-reviewed studies · Evidence score: 8/10
Galactomannans are the most effective soluble dietary fibers in type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Juhász AE et al. • The American journal of clinical nutrition (2023)
Galactomannans were the most effective dietary fiber for reducing the levels of HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol in patients with type 2 diabetes.
- Galactomannans had the highest effect on reducing the levels of HbA1c (SUCRA: 92.33%) and fasting blood glucose (SUCRA: 85.92%).
- With regard to fasting insulin level, HOMA-IR, β-glucans (SUCRA: 73.45%), and psyllium (SUCRA: 96.67%) were the most effective interventions.
- Galactomannans were ranked first in reducing the levels of triglycerides (SUCRA: 82.77%) and LDL cholesterol (SUCRA: 86.56%).
Efficacy of oats in dyslipidemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Li A et al. • Food & function (2024)
Conclusions: Oat-based products may reduce TC and LDL-C, but have little effect on TG, HDL-C, and major cardiovascular events in patients with dyslipidemia.
- Pooled estimates showed that oat-based products may result in a large reduction in LDL-C (WMD, -0.24 mmol L-1; 95% CI: -0.33, -0.15) (moderate certainty) and TC (WMD, -0.32 mmol L-1; 95% CI: -0.48, -0.17) (moderate certainty).
- Compared to other diets (mainly other cereals), oat-based products probably reduce the level of LDL-C (WMD, -0.17 mmol L-1; 95% CI: -0.25, -0.08) (moderate certainty) and TC (WMD, -0.21 mmol L-1; 95% CI: -0.30, -0.12) (moderate certainty).
- Both groups showed that oat-based products had little effect on HDL-C and TG (moderate certainty).
Effects of different delivering matrices of β-glucan on lipids in mildly hypercholesterolaemic individuals: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Xu D et al. • The British journal of nutrition (2021)
In conclusion, β-glucan can significantly reduce risk factors like TC and LDL-cholesterol for CVD in mildly hypercholesterolaemic individuals; furthermore, it appears that the effects of food matrices with both 'solid products' and 'liquid products' where β-glucan was incorporated into were ranked as the best way to exert its beneficial properties, while 'liquid' and 'solid' products were ranked as the second and third positions, respectively.
- After conducting a comprehensive search in Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Library, a total of twenty-one randomised controlled trials involving 1120 participants were identified to measure the pooled effect.
- There was evidence for modest unexplained heterogeneity in the meta-analysis.
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Fungal beta-glucans as adjuvants for treating cancer patients - A systematic review of clinical trials
Steimbach L et al. • Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) (2021)
It was observed that the administration of β-glucan is safe and well-tolerated.
- It was observed that the administration of β-glucan is safe and well-tolerated.
- Most of the trials pointed that concomitant administration of β-glucan with chemo or radiotherapy reduced the immune depression caused by such treatments and/or accelerated the recovery of white blood cells counts.
- However, some articles also commented that no statistical difference was encountered between β-glucan treated vs. control groups, which gives a controversial conclusion about the β-glucan effects.
Effects of Oat Beta-Glucan Intake on Lipid Profiles in Hypercholesterolemic Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Yu J et al. • Nutrients (2022)
This meta-analysis supports the health benefits of oat beta-glucan, especially for its cholesterol-lowering features, although it has some inevitable limitations.
- The results were presented with the weighted mean difference (WMD) with a 95% CI.
- Overall, oat beta-glucan supplementation significantly reduced levels of TC (pooled WMD = -0.24 mmol/L; 95%CI: -0.28 to -0.20 mmol/L), LDL-c (pooled WMD = -0.27 mmol/L; 95%CI: -0.35 to -0.20 mmol/L).
- Furthermore, beta-glucan consumption did not show significant effects on TG (pooled WMD = -0.04 mmol/L; 95%CI: -0.13 to 0.05 mmol/L), HDL-c (pooled WMD = 0.00 mmol/L; 95%CI: -0.05 to 0.05 mmol/L).
The difference between oats and beta-glucan extract intake in the management of HbA1c, fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
He LX et al. • Food & function (2016)
Higher consumption of whole oats and oat bran, but not oat or barley beta-glucan extracts, are associated with lower HbA1c, fasting glucose and fasting insulin of T2D, hyperlipidaemic and overweight subjects, especially people with T2D, which supports the need for clinical trials to evaluate the potential role of oats in approaching to the management of glycemic control and insulin sensitivity of diabetes or metabolic syndrome subjects.
- The intake of oats and beta-glucan extracted from oats were effective in decreasing fasting glucose (P = 0.007, I(2) = 91%) and fasting insulin of T2D (P < 0.001, I(2) = 0%) and tented to lower HbA1c (P = 0.09, I(2) = 92%).
- Compared with the control, oat intake resulted in a greater decrease in fasting glucose and insulin of subjects (P < 0.05), but beta-glucan extract intake did not.
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Oat beta-glucan for cholesterol: FDA claim review
Whitehead A et al. • American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2014)
3g/day oat beta-glucan reduced LDL by 4.2%.
- Significant LDL reduction
- Dose-response relationship
- FDA-approved health claim
Beta-glucan and immune function: A meta-analysis
Zheng X et al. • Medicine (2019)
Beta-glucan significantly reduced incidence of respiratory infections.
- Significant reduction in infections
- Enhanced immune markers
- Safe and well-tolerated
Impact of Dietary Supplements on Clinical Outcomes and Quality of Life in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review
Scafuri L et al. • Nutrients (2025)
However, the evidence is mixed across supplement types, and further research is needed to determine the most effective and safe approaches.
- Curcumin studies presented mixed results.
- Silymarin showed potential for hepatoprotective effects.
- Conclusions: These findings highlight the potential of specific dietary supplements to improve various aspects of breast cancer care.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of beta-glucan consumption on glycemic control in hypercholesterolemic individuals
Zou Y et al. • International journal of food sciences and nutrition (2015)
In conclusion, there was not a significant overall effect of beta-glucan intake on improvements of fasting glucose and insulin concentrations in hypercholesterolemic subjects.
- Summary estimates of weighted mean differences (WMD) and 95% confidence interval was 0.05 mmol/L (-0.11, 0.02) for fasting glucose concentration and 0.75 pmol/L (-1.82, 3.32) for fasting insulin concentrations.
- Twelve trials with a total of 603 subjects were included in the meta-analysis.
- Beta-glucan consumption did not significantly affect measures of glycemic control.
Wood dust and asthma
Baatjies R et al. • Current opinion in allergy and clinical immunology (2023)
There is a need for improved health-based international exposure standards and effective workplace control measures to reduce exposures to wood dust particulate (hard and soft woods), endotoxin and β-glucan, to reduce the risks of asthma in wood workers.
- Meta-analysis examining Beta-Glucans efficacy
- Published in Current opinion in allergy and clinical immunology (2023)
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
The importance of molecular weight in determining the minimum dose of oat β-glucan required to reduce the glycaemic response in healthy subjects without diabetes: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis
Noronha JC et al. • European journal of clinical nutrition (2023)
This systematic-review examined the effects of Beta-Glucans.
- Results were expressed as ratio-of-means (RoM) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
- MinDose was defined as the dose at which the upper 95% CI of the regression line cut the line of no effect (i.e., RoM = 1).
- MinDoses for glucose iAUC for high-MW, medium-MW and low-MW OBG, respectively, were estimated to be 0.2 g, 2.2 g and 3.2 g per 30 g avCHO; MinDoses for glucose iPeak were less than those for iAUC.
Effect of oat supplementation interventions on cardiovascular disease risk markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Llanaj E et al. • European journal of nutrition (2022)
Dietary OSIs resulted in lowered levels of blood lipids and improvements in anthropometric parameters among participants with predominantly mild metabolic disturbances, regardless of dietary background or control.
- The majority of included RCTs (81.1%) had some concerns for risk of bias.
- Dietary OSIs resulted in lowered levels of blood lipids and improvements in anthropometric parameters among participants with predominantly mild metabolic disturbances, regardless of dietary background or control.
- Further high-quality trials are warranted to establish the role of OSIs on blood pressure, glucose homeostasis and inflammation markers.
Comparative accuracy of 1,3 beta-D glucan and galactomannan for diagnosis of invasive fungal infections in pediatric patients: a systematic review with meta-analysis
Singh S et al. • Medical mycology (2021)
Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.
- We conclude that GM and BDG have a modest performance for identifying IFI in pediatric patients.
- GM has a better accuracy over BDG.
- Combining both improves the specificity at the cost of sensitivity.© The Author(s) 2020.
Effects of yeast β-glucans for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract infection in healthy subjects: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Zhong K et al. • European journal of nutrition (2021)
These findings suggest a positive effect of yeast β-glucans on human URTIs.
- These findings suggest a positive effect of yeast β-glucans on human URTIs.
- However, due to the high heterogeneity and small number of included studies, more high-quality research and clinical trials are warranted.
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
The effect of oat β-glucan on postprandial blood glucose and insulin responses: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Zurbau A et al. • European journal of clinical nutrition (2021)
This meta-analysis examined the effects of Beta-Glucans.
- Data were pooled using generic inverse-variance with random-effects model and expressed as ratio-of-means with [95% CIs].
- OBG reduced glucose iAUC and iPeak by 23% (0.77 [0.74, 0.81]) and 28% (0.72 [0.64, 0.76]) and insulin by 22% (0.78 [0.72, 0.85]) and 24% (0.76 [0.65, 0.88]), respectively.
- OBG molecular-weight >300 kg/mol significantly reduced glucose iAUC and iPeak, whereas molecular-weight <300 kg/mol did not.
Efficacy and safety of oral and inhalation commercial beta-glucan products: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Markovina N et al. • Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) (2020)
Commercial beta-glucan products were studied in a number of RCTs whose results can be considered only as preliminary, as they used small number of participants and surrogate outcomes.
- Commercial beta-glucan products were studied in a number of RCTs whose results can be considered only as preliminary, as they used small number of participants and surrogate outcomes.
- The quality of many studies was poor and further research and trials on bigger population should be performed before a final conclusion can be made.
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Use of Ganoderma lucidum (Ganodermataceae, Basidiomycota) as Radioprotector
González A et al. • Nutrients (2020)
Ex vivo studies conducted in human blood cells show the radioprotective effect of β-glucan of aqueous extract of G. lucidum, nevertheless, its implementation as radioprotector to humans is in need of further clinical research studies.
- From a total number of 1109 records identified, 15 full text articles were eligible, none of them were clinical trials.
- In vivo studies reveal the efficiency of G. lucidum aqueous extracts of polysaccharides and triterpenes in mice exposed to γ-rays.
- In plasmid, they can reduce radiation damage as an increment of the open circular form, as well as increase the DNA extension, as shown in vitro studies.
The Metabolic Effects of Oats Intake in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Hou Q et al. • Nutrients (2015)
Further investigations of oats intake in patients with type 1 diabetes and the safety of oats consumption are required.
- Oatmeal significantly reduced the acute postprandial glucose and insulin responses compared with the control meal.
- The present study has revealed a beneficial effect of oats intake on glucose control and lipid profiles in type 2 diabetic patients.
- Further investigations of oats intake in patients with type 1 diabetes and the safety of oats consumption are required.
Effect of Oat (Avena sativa L.) Consumption on Lipid Profile With Focus on Triglycerides and High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C): An Updated Systematic Review
Amerizadeh A et al. • Current problems in cardiology (2023)
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- Consuming oat in conjunction with calorie-reducing diets or using it with DHA can cause a significant TG reduction.
- It may be concluded that, in addition to lowering TC and LDL-C, a considerable improvement in TG or HDL-C can be accomplished by adjusting factors such as oat consumption dose or consumption duration or utilizing oat in conjunction with a proper diet program.
- To conclude, more research on this topic is required.Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc.