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Natural Health News — Taking a specialist supplement derived from yeast extract, can be an effective strategy for combating stress, according to a recent study.
The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that women under moderately intense psychological stress had better moods, higher energy levels, and fewer infections when they took a supplement containing beta-glucanfrom baker’s yeast.
In this small study, 77 healthy women who described themselves as being under “moderate” stress were given either 250 mg of beta-glucan from baker’s yeast daily, or no treatment for 12 weeks. They were asked to record information about their moods, perceived stress level, and health during the study.
The supplements were provided by Biothera – the company that also funded the study.
Persistent stress takes a toll, making the body and mind vulnerable to infection and mood disorders such as as anxiety and depression.
However, in women taking the beta-glucan supplement certain positive differences emerged:
“These data show that daily dietary supplementation with [a specific baker’s yeast beta-glucan supplement] reduces upper respiratory symptoms and improves mood state in stressed subjects, and thus it may be a useful approach for maintaining immune protection against daily stressors,” the authors conclude.
Multiple other benefits
Beta-glucan is found in baker’s yeast, but also other foods such as mushrooms especially reishi, shiitake, and maitake, and grains such as oats and barley (and to a much lesser degree rye and wheat). It is polysaccharide, a type of soluble fibre, that has been found to lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease, boost immunity, and even have anti-tumour effects.
Evidence of their cholesterol-lowering benefits is so strong that in 2011 the EU Commission allowed health claims for beta-glucan to be made on food labels. Foodstuffs through which 3g per day of oat beta-glucan are consumed (1g of oat beta-glucan per portion) are allowed to display the following health claim: “Oat beta-glucan reduces the cholesterol level in the blood. The lowering of the blood cholesterol level can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease”.
In the US the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows a similar health claim.
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