Description

Stark Beta-Glucan food supplement from Stark Pharm is beta-glucan, a natural polysaccharide with pronounced immunomodulatory properties .

Beta-glucan has been extensively studied for its significant antitumor and immunomodulatory properties. To date, over 3,000 specific studies have been conducted. Some sources call this substance the most powerful immunomodulatory drug known today.

Glucans are long-chain polysaccharides whose structural unit is glucose (hexose), which is attached to positions 1 and 3 in this chain. Small side chains grow from the main chain of the polysaccharide.

The most active form of beta 1,3 - D glucans is the one that has side chains at positions 1,6 and which branches off from the main long chain of beta-1,3-glucan. Therefore, in literary sources beta-1,3-glucan is also referred to as beta-1,3/1,6 glucan.

The most common source of beta glucans is the cell walls of the baker's yeast Saccharomyces cervevisial.

How beta-glucan works:

What happens to β-glucan after oral administration?

Key point: β-glucans are not absorbed like glucose.

Human enzymes do not break them down — which is both good and bad:

• ❌ they do not provide calories (the body does not convert them into sugar);

• ✔ but it is precisely because of this that they act on the immune cells of the intestine and microbiota .

Stage 1. Passage into the intestine almost unchanged

In the stomach, β-glucan is not destroyed by acids.
It then enters the intestines in the form of long chains.

Stage 2. Interaction with intestinal immune receptors

Receptors are present on intestinal cells and immune cells:

• Dectin-1

• CR3 (complement receptor)

• TLR2/6

These receptors are specifically “sharpened” to detect fungal β-glucans.

When β-glucan binds to Dectin-1:

• macrophages are activated,

• phagocytosis increases,

• antigen presentation improves,

• increases the activity of NK cells (natural killer),

• cytokine production is regulated.

This is not stimulation , but the correct tuning of the immune response.

Stage 3. Partial uptake by M cells and transfer to GALT

In the intestine, there are M-cells that “transport” particles into the intestinal lymphoid tissue (GALT).

Small fragments of β-glucan can enter:

• to Peyer's patches,

• to macrophages and dendritic cells.

There, an immunomodulatory cascade is launched.

Stage 4. Prebiotic effect in the colon

Beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium) partially ferment β-glucan → the following are formed:

• butyrate ,

• propionate ,

• acetate .

These metabolites:

• reduce inflammation,

• improve insulin sensitivity,

• strengthen the intestinal barrier,

• nourish the cells of the colon (colonocytes).

Stage 5. Systemic effect

Some fragments of β-glucans (not completely, but partially) can enter the blood in the form of very small particles, which then:

• activate liver macrophages (Kupffer cells),

• affect the bone marrow (granulopoiesis),

• enhance systemic immune response to infections and tumor cells.

This has been confirmed by animal models and some clinical studies in humans.

What are the effects of cordyceps β-glucan for humans (from scientific data)

1) Immunomodulation

• regulates the Th1/Th2 balance,

• reduces excessive inflammation,

• enhances the “specific” immune response to infections.

2) Antioxidant effect

Through activation of intracellular pathways (SOD, GPx, CAT).

3) Anti-infective effect

β-glucans enhance natural resistance to:

• viruses,

• bacteria,

• fungi.

4) Anti-inflammatory effect

May reduce chronic low-level inflammation (inflammaging).

5) Support metabolic health

Due to the effects on the microbiota and insulin sensitivity.

6) Potential antitumor effect

Not directly, but through the immune system:

• NK cell activation,

• better presentation of antigens,

• reduction of the inflammatory environment.

⚠️ Not a cancer treatment, but used as an adjuvant in some countries.

7) Intestinal protection

Improves barrier function, reduces permeability ("leaky gut").

Is there a difference between β-glucans from different mushrooms?

Yes. In Cordyceps, β-glucans are more branched than in yeast and have different solubility.
This affects:

• binding strength to the Dectin-1 receptor,

• rate of fermentation by microbiota,

• overall biological activity.

Cordyceps β-glucans are generally considered to be milder and more balanced in action than those from baker's yeast or shiitake.

Result

Beta-glucan is beneficial because:

• activates immunity in a natural, balanced way (through Dectin-1, CR3 receptors);

• reduces inflammation;

• improves intestinal function and microbiota;

• has antioxidant and metabolic-protective effects;

• may enhance natural anti-tumor defenses.

Its benefits manifest themselves not as “sugar,” but as an immune and prebiotic signal that the body correctly interprets.

In Japan, extracts containing various types of beta-glucan have been used successfully for the past 20 years to help fight cancer. It has the unique ability to attach to cancer cells and tag them, making them more visible for recognition by the immune system.

In addition to the above-mentioned immunomodulatory effects, beta-glucan lowers cholesterol and helps with high blood pressure. Glucose polymers, a component of beta-glucan, also have a positive effect on the growth of probiotic bacterial species in the intestinal tract (Jaskari et al., 1998) and improve blood lipid composition (Nicolosi et al., 1999).

Beta 1,3-glucan has been described as a drug that can modify the biological response of the body due to its ability to prepare the immune system for action (Miura et al., 1996). It is necessary to distinguish the effect of beta-glucan from the effect of drugs that stimulate the immune system. The action of drugs that stimulate the immune system can lead to an overactive reaction of the body and contribute to the occurrence of autoimmune disease. Beta-glucan increases the ability of the immune system without putting the body in a state of excessive reaction. Modulation of the immune system by beta-glucans can be caused by a change in the activity of macrophages and T-cells (lymphocytes), which is derived from the products of the expression of various cytokines (Borchers et al., 1999). The effect on macrophages is manifested in an increase in their functionality, which allows them to find and eliminate infections and foreign substances in the body; increase the production of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor, interferon and interleukins), thus enhancing the body's specific and nonspecific immune response (Chihara, 1992; Czop et al., 1989).

Beta-glucan not only activates immunocompetent cells, but also increases the rate of their maturation and, very significantly, increases their lifespan.

Absorption in the body occurs through enterocytes. Beta 1,3-D glucan and similar drugs are transported through the cell walls of the intestinal tract into the lymph, where they integrate with macrophages and enhance the functionality of the immune system.
Enterocytes have been shown to be involved in the transport of beta-glucans and related compounds across the intestinal cell walls into the lymph, where they integrate with macrophages, thereby enhancing the immune system (Frey et al., 1996). Tests with radiolabeled beta-glucan have shown that micro- and macro-particles (fragments) of beta-glucans are found in the blood serum, clearly demonstrating absorption of glucans by the intestinal tract (Tsukagoshi et al., 1984).

In the USA, beta-glucan has received the GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) label – safe. This label is awarded by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Side effects are almost non-existent. The recommended daily dose of beta-glucan, according to various authors, is 3-3000 mg, depending on whether it is used as a preventive measure or as a supportive drug for various diseases. Most authors recommend taking 25 mg/day as a prophylactic, and 50 to 500 mg/day as a therapeutic dose. To improve absorption, it is recommended to take beta-glucan on an empty stomach 30 minutes before eating.

Indications for the use of beta-glucan are as follows: various infections, high cholesterol, weakened immune system, allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, hypothermia, colds, stress, general fatigue of the body, gastroduodenal ulcerative lesions, to support the hematopoietic system, as an additional means of cancer treatment.

Sources:

1. A Peer-Reviewed Journal on Nutraceuticals and Nutrition. Mark Houston, MD. Editor-in-Chief. ISSN-1521-4524. Pilot Study: Orally - Administered Yeast β1 , 3 - glucan . Prophylactically Protects Against . Anthrax Infection and Cancer in Mice . Vaclav Vetvicka, PhD,1 Kiyomi Terayama, MD,2 Rosemonde Mandeville, MD, PhD,3. http://www.vitawithimmunity.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/VetvickaJANASpring2002.pdf

Common and different between beta-glucan and UC-II :

UC-II and beta-glucan are two different bioactive compounds that are often used as dietary supplements. Although they share a common trait of interacting with the immune system, their structure, origin, and underlying mechanisms of action are significantly different.

Shared

Both UC-II and beta-glucans interact with the body's immune system.

Modulation of the immune response: Both compounds affect immune cells, albeit in different ways. Beta-glucans directly activate macrophages and other immune cells, while UC-II promotes the immune system's tolerance to collagen, which is key in maintaining joint health.

Dietary supplements: Both substances are widely used in the food industry and medicine as ingredients in dietary supplements to maintain health.

Excellent

1. Structure and composition

UC-II is a patented form of undenatured type II collagen. It is a protein that retains its natural three-dimensional structure, allowing it to interact with the immune system in the gut. It is extracted from chicken cartilage.

Beta-glucan is a type of polysaccharide (complex carbohydrate) that is composed of D-glucose monomers linked by β-glycosidic bonds.

Beta-glucans can have different structures (branched or linear) depending on the source. They are found in cereals (oats, barley), yeast, mushrooms, some algae and bacteria.

2. Mechanism of action

UC-II works on the principle of oral tolerance. After consumption, it is not digested, but enters the intestine, where it interacts with immune cells (Peyer's patches). This "teaches" the immune system not to attack its own collagen in the joints, reducing inflammation and cartilage degradation. This is especially important in autoimmune diseases of the joints, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Beta-glucan acts as an immunostimulant. It binds to specific receptors on the surface of immune cells, such as macrophages and neutrophils, activating them. This leads to an enhanced immune response, which helps the body fight infections, promotes wound healing, and may have anti-cancer properties.