Beta-glucans are found on the surface of potentially pathogenic microorganisms like bacteria or yeasts, which means the presence of these beta-glucans in the body can signal to the immune system that a pathogen is present and it’s time to mount an immune response. When fungal beta-glucans are supplemented directly, the same effect may be achieved without the infective pathogen. Accordingly, preliminary research has tended to report that fungal beta-glucans may enhance immune function, which could be useful in a variety of contexts.
Fungal beta-glucans may bolster the body’s ability to fight infection. Yeast beta-glucans have been reported to reduce the incidence, duration, and symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) in both children and adults, as well as in athletes who may be prone to exercise-induced immune suppression. However, most of these studies have been industry funded, which has the potential to introduce bias.[1]
These immune-stimulating properties may also be useful in the context of wound healing. While supported by in vitro and animal research, only a few clinical trials have examined this effect, and only one has been a randomized controlled trial.[2] This limited research suggests that cream containing 2–3% yeast beta-glucans might promote the healing of stubborn wounds, like venous ulcers or diabetic ulcers.[3][4][5][6]
Lastly, fungal beta-glucans may have a role as an adjuvant to chemotherapy for cancer treatment. In China and Japan, there are prescription-grade beta-glucans specifically formulated for intravenous use that appear to be effective as an adjuvant to chemotherapy, improving response rates, quality of life, and 1-year survival.[7] Research looking at whether oral beta-glucans provide the same effect is limited. Some noncontrolled studies have reported improvements in immune function and quality of life, but the evidence is weak and more research is needed.[8][9]