Beta-Glucan
Research reviewed: Up until 03/2026
Beta-Glucan is a dietary supplement with 27 published peer-reviewed studies involving 2,744 participants, researched for Immune Support, Cholesterol Management, Blood Sugar Regulation and 2 more areas.
Evidence at a Glance
Strength is scored by study design, sample size, study type, and outcomes
Immune Support
StrongCholesterol Management
ModerateBlood Sugar Regulation
ModerateClinical trials
WeakSystematic reviews
WeakResearch Visualised
Visual breakdown of the clinical data.
Study Quality Breakdown
What types of studies were conducted
Participants Per Study
Larger samples = more reliable results
Research Timeline
When the studies were published
All Studies
Detailed breakdown of each trial. Click to expand.
Immune Support
To evaluate oat beta-glucan supplementation on immune cell activity in healthy adults
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate oat beta-glucan supplementation on immune cell activity in healthy adults
Dose
5.6 g/day oat beta-glucan
Participants
50 healthy adults
Duration
8 weeks
Results
Significant enhancement of natural killer cell activity and improved immunoglobulin levels vs placebo (p<0.05).
How They Measured It
Natural killer cell activity, immunoglobulin levels
To investigate beta-glucan supplementation effect on upper respiratory tract infection incidence
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate beta-glucan supplementation effect on upper respiratory tract infection incidence
Dose
250 mg/day yeast beta-glucan
Participants
100 healthy adults
Duration
12 weeks
Results
Beta-glucan group showed 23% fewer cold episodes and significantly reduced duration of symptoms.
How They Measured It
Self-reported URTI incidence, immune cell counts
To examine immune-modulating effects of beta-glucan supplementation across multiple RCTs
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To examine immune-modulating effects of beta-glucan supplementation across multiple RCTs
Dose
Various
Participants
Multiple studies pooled
Duration
Various
Results
Beta-glucan supplementation significantly improved immune markers and reduced upper respiratory infection risk.
How They Measured It
Immune cell counts, infection incidence, biomarker levels
To assess beta-glucan effects on fatigue and well-being in healthy adults
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To assess beta-glucan effects on fatigue and well-being in healthy adults
Dose
250 mg/day
Participants
77 healthy adults
Duration
12 weeks
Results
Beta-glucan group reported significantly improved vigour and reduced fatigue scores vs placebo.
How They Measured It
POMS fatigue scale, vigor subscale
Cholesterol Management
To assess the cholesterol-lowering effects of oat beta-glucan fibre in hypercholesterolaemic adults
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To assess the cholesterol-lowering effects of oat beta-glucan fibre in hypercholesterolaemic adults
Dose
3 g/day oat beta-glucan
Participants
232 mildly hypercholesterolaemic adults
Duration
12 weeks
Results
LDL cholesterol reduced by 0.25 mmol/L (p<0.001), non-HDL-C reduced by 6.5% vs placebo.
How They Measured It
LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol
To evaluate cholesterol-lowering effects of oat beta-glucan in RCTs
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To evaluate cholesterol-lowering effects of oat beta-glucan in RCTs
Dose
>=3 g/day
Participants
1514 participants across 28 trials
Duration
Various
Results
Oat beta-glucan significantly reduced LDL-C (MD -0.25 mmol/L) and total cholesterol (MD -0.30 mmol/L).
How They Measured It
LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol
To compare the effect of different molecular weight beta-glucan on cholesterol reduction
Study Type
Randomised, crossover
Purpose
To compare the effect of different molecular weight beta-glucan on cholesterol reduction
Dose
4 g/day high vs low molecular weight oat beta-glucan
Participants
40 mildly hypercholesterolaemic adults
Duration
5 weeks
Results
High molecular weight beta-glucan reduced LDL by 10% and apoB by 8% more than low MW variant.
How They Measured It
LDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein B
Blood Sugar Regulation
To investigate the effect of beta-glucan on postprandial glycaemic response in type 2 diabetics
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate the effect of beta-glucan on postprandial glycaemic response in type 2 diabetics
Dose
4 g/day oat beta-glucan
Participants
60 type 2 diabetic adults
Duration
12 weeks
Results
Significant attenuation of postprandial blood glucose (p<0.01) and improved insulin sensitivity vs placebo.
How They Measured It
Blood glucose AUC, insulin response
To examine beta-glucan effects on glycaemic control and gut microbiota in metabolic syndrome
Study Type
Randomised, controlled trial
Purpose
To examine beta-glucan effects on glycaemic control and gut microbiota in metabolic syndrome
Dose
5 g/day
Participants
86 adults with metabolic syndrome
Duration
16 weeks
Results
HbA1c reduced by 0.4% and fasting glucose by 0.9 mmol/L vs placebo; beneficial gut microbiota shifts observed.
How They Measured It
HbA1c, fasting glucose, gut microbiome analysis
To evaluate beta-glucan effects on fasting blood glucose and insulin resistance across RCTs
Study Type
Systematic review
Purpose
To evaluate beta-glucan effects on fasting blood glucose and insulin resistance across RCTs
Dose
Various
Participants
Pooled from 18 trials
Duration
Various
Results
Beta-glucan significantly reduced fasting insulin and HOMA-IR, with modest effects on fasting glucose.
How They Measured It
Fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR
To assess beta-glucan effects on blood pressure in hypertensive patients
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To assess beta-glucan effects on blood pressure in hypertensive patients
Dose
6 g/day oat beta-glucan
Participants
88 hypertensive adults
Duration
6 weeks
Results
Systolic BP reduced by 7.5 mmHg and diastolic BP by 5.5 mmHg vs placebo (p<0.01).
How They Measured It
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure
To quantify effects of beta-glucan on fatigue across RCTs
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To quantify effects of beta-glucan on fatigue across RCTs
Dose
Various
Participants
Pooled from multiple RCTs
Duration
Various
Results
Beta-glucan supplementation associated with significant improvements in fatigue and vigour scores (SMD 0.42).
How They Measured It
Standardised fatigue scales
Clinical trials
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in barley-based cereals enhance metabolic health and satiety in overweight korean adults: a randomized trial.
Study Type
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in barley-based cereals enhance metabolic health and satiety in overweight korean adults: a randomized trial.
Dose
50 g
Participants
30 participants
Duration
6 weeks
Results
Barley-based cereals offer significant metabolic and satiety benefits for overweight adults compared to corn-based alternatives. These findings suggest that barley-based cereals may be an effective dietary intervention for managing obesity and metabolic disorders.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in effectiveness of regular oat β-glucan-enriched bread compared with whole-grain wheat bread on long-term glycemic control in adults at risk of type 2 d
Study Type
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in effectiveness of regular oat β-glucan-enriched bread compared with whole-grain wheat bread on long-term glycemic control in adults at risk of type 2 d
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
e, and soluble fiber from oats and barley, that is, β-glucans, has been shown to lower blood cholesterol and postprandial glycaemia. Despite such data and the European Food Safety Authority health claims supporting β-glucan-induced reductions in glucose and cholesterol, effectiveness in real-life settings among individuals at elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes remains unclear.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in roasting oat-based paste modulates postprandial glucose and insulin sensitivity: roles of acrylamide, texture, and starch fractions.
Study Type
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in roasting oat-based paste modulates postprandial glucose and insulin sensitivity: roles of acrylamide, texture, and starch fractions.
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
integrity, enhanced SDS and resistant starch (RS) content, and improved textural properties without detectable acrylamide. These results demonstrate that optimizing roasting temperatures can mitigate adverse metabolic effects while maintaining swallowing safety, offering critical insights for developing functional foods for elderly and dysphagic populations with specific glycemic management needs.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in a randomised trial of pleuran in paediatric acute gastroenteritis.
Study Type
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in a randomised trial of pleuran in paediatric acute gastroenteritis.
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
erated. In this study, Pleuran was ineffective in the treatment of acute gastroenteritis in children. Further studies are needed to investigate its potential as a nutraceutical in children.Clinical registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03988257 (the date of registration: 17/06/2019). The Medical University of Warsaw Bioethical Committee Approval: KB/45/2018. Nutricia Foundation Grant: RG-3/2018.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in yeast beta-glucan enhances antibody response following influenza vaccination - a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial.
Study Type
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in yeast beta-glucan enhances antibody response following influenza vaccination - a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial.
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
4 weeks
Results
ow in both groups and did not differ. Overall, the findings suggest that yeast beta-glucan supplementation may elicit a greater change in antibody titer to seasonal influenza vaccination. However, confirmation is needed with a larger sample of older adults and with follow-up to assess protection from disease. Clinical trial registry number and website: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05074303.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in effects of nichi brite β-glucans as an onco-nutrition adjuvant in patients undergoing subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (ssppd) for
Study Type
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in effects of nichi brite β-glucans as an onco-nutrition adjuvant in patients undergoing subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (ssppd) for
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
several postoperative complications besides recurrence. Immunosuppression in the peri-operative period is a major challenge to overcome and in this study we investigated the effects of AFO-202 strain Aureobasidium-pullulans produced β-glucan (Nichi BRITE) in patients who underwent subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (SSPPD) for pancreatic, bile duct and duodenal malignancies.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus attenuates uremic toxins in patients with nondialysis chronic kidney disease through the anti-inflammatory molecules.
Study Type
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus attenuates uremic toxins in patients with nondialysis chronic kidney disease through the anti-inflammatory molecules.
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
, L34 and LGG similarly attenuated systemic inflammation in patients with CKD, through the improved gut dysbiosis and anti-inflammation.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
Systematic reviews
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in performance of the beta-glucan test for the diagnosis of invasive fusariosis and scedosporiosis: a meta-analysis.
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in performance of the beta-glucan test for the diagnosis of invasive fusariosis and scedosporiosis: a meta-analysis.
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
, BDG testing may be useful in patients with suspected IF or IS. Combining BDG and galactomannan testing may also help differentiating between the different types of IMI.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in β-d-glucan in intraocular fluids for fungal endophthalmitis: a meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy.
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in β-d-glucan in intraocular fluids for fungal endophthalmitis: a meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy.
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
Fungal endophthalmitis (FE) is a rare but severe intraocular infection that may cause irreversible vision loss. Because conventional cultures are slow and insensitive and serum β-D-glucan (BDG) has limited value for intraocular disease, we evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of BDG testing in aqueous humor (AH) and vitreous humor (VH) for FE.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in diagnostic test accuracy of the fungitell serum (1→3)-β-d-glucan assay for the diagnosis of pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia: a systematic review and
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in diagnostic test accuracy of the fungitell serum (1→3)-β-d-glucan assay for the diagnosis of pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia: a systematic review and
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
The diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) can be challenging because of diagnostic tests that are imperfect and/or invasive. The Fungitell serum (1 → 3)-β-D-glucan (BDG) assay is a noninvasive blood test studied for PCP; however, the manufacturer-recommended cut-off of 80 pg/mL is not well validated for this disease.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in investigation on the efficiency of lentinan for injection combining cisplatin on treating malignant pleural effusion based on systematic review and me
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in investigation on the efficiency of lentinan for injection combining cisplatin on treating malignant pleural effusion based on systematic review and me
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a frequently observed complication in advanced malignant tumors. Clinical studies have shown that lentinan for injection (LNT) is beneficial for improving patients' quality of life and prolonging their survival. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of LNT combining cisplatin in the treatment of MPE.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in diagnostic tests performance in detecting pneumocystis jirovecii: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in diagnostic tests performance in detecting pneumocystis jirovecii: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
Pneumocystis jirovecii (Pj) pneumonia (PJP) is a life-threatening opportunistic infection primarily affecting immunocompromised individuals. Detecting Pj is challenging, particularly in distinguishing between Pj colonization (PJC) and infection. We aimed to systematically evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of various tests in differentiating Pj colonization from infection.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in impact of dietary supplements on clinical outcomes and quality of life in patients with breast cancer: a systematic review.
Study Type
Systematic review
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in impact of dietary supplements on clinical outcomes and quality of life in patients with breast cancer: a systematic review.
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
These findings highlight the potential of specific dietary supplements to improve various aspects of breast cancer care. However, the evidence is mixed across supplement types, and further research is needed to determine the most effective and safe approaches.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in an encompassing review of meta-analyses and systematic reviews of the effect of oats on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular risk, diabetes risk, body
Study Type
Systematic review
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in an encompassing review of meta-analyses and systematic reviews of the effect of oats on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular risk, diabetes risk, body
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
served but clinical data for a potential gut barrier effect is lacking. The mechanism of action of each health effect was reviewed. While beta-glucan viscosity was once considered the only mode of action, it is evident that the fermentation products of beta-glucan and the associated gut microbial changes, as well as other components in oats (i.e., avenanthramides etc.) also play an important role.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in effects of β-glucans on fatigue: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Beta-Glucan in effects of β-glucans on fatigue: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Dose
Beta-Glucan (dose not specified)
Participants
449 participants
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
009;= 0.32, 95% CI = 0.11-0.53; p = 0.0026) compared to the placebo group. The results of the systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that β-glucans may be effective in reducing feelings of fatigue in healthy individuals. However, the number of studies included is insufficient, suggesting that further clinical trials are needed to validate this effect.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Beta-Glucan research
There are currently 27 peer-reviewed studies on Beta-Glucan (Beta-Glucan), involving 2,744 total participants. Research covers Immune Support, Cholesterol Management, Blood Sugar Regulation and 2 more areas. The overall evidence strength is rated as Strong.
The evidence is currently rated as "Strong Evidence". This rating is based on study design quality (randomisation, blinding, placebo controls), sample sizes, study types (15 human studies), and reported outcomes.
Beta-Glucan has been researched for: Immune Support, Cholesterol Management, Blood Sugar Regulation, Clinical trials, Systematic reviews. Each area has its own body of evidence which you can explore in the study breakdowns above.
Yes, 15 out of 27 studies are human trials. Human trials carry more weight in our evidence scoring system.
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