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Cholesterol

Not all β-glucans are equal ~3 g/day from oat/barley foods can modestly lower LDL, while similar dose tablets and fungal β-glucans typically don’t, suggesting that the cholesterol effect depends on viscosity and the food matrix in the gut.

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    1. Beta Glucan PhD Team,

      Beta Glucan PhD Team

      Beta Glucan PhD Team

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    Beta Glucan & Cholesterol: The Mop, Not the Key

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    Eating oatmeal daily for 6 weeks improved “bad” cholesterol and was linked to helpful gut-bacteria changes.New

    A higher-molecular-weight barley fiber (β-glucan) changed gut bacteria in ways linked to better heart health-associated markers.New

    Barley fiber lowered cholesterol by boosting the body’s bile-acid production.New

    Not all cereal fibers are equal: highland barley β-glucan most strongly improved “metabolic syndrome” features in mice and calmed liver-fat/inflammation pathwaysNew

    A common immune-boosting sugar (β-glucan) protects liver immune cells in sepsis and helps clear bacteria in mice.New

    Barley β-glucan reduced fatty liver and improved blood fats in mice fed a Western-style dietNew

    Barley fiber changed liver and fat-tissue genes for fat handling and improved health markers in obese miceNew

    A short, small study hints that two yeast-derived oat-like fibers (β-glucans) may reduce blood sugar, cholesterol, and inflammation markers in healthy middle-aged men.New

    Barley-fiber–rich extracts eased “fatty-diet + stress” memory problems in mice by improving gut microbes, gut lining, and brain signals. New

    Yeast Beta-Glucan Improves Metabolic and Inflammatory Markers in Obese Dogs with Insulin ResistanceNew

    1. Wouk β-Glucans as a panacea for a healthy heart? Their roles in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases 2021
    2. Cicero A randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Medium-Term Effects of Oat Fibers on Human Health: The Beta-Glucan Effects on Lipid Profile, Glycemia and inTestinal Health (BELT) Study 2020
    3. Xu Serum Metabolomics Reveals Underlying Mechanisms of Cholesterol-Lowering Effects of Oat Consumption: A Randomized Controlled Trial in a Mildly Hypercholesterolemic Population 2021
    4. Rioux-Labrecque Supplementation with a β-glucan tablet has no effect on hyperlipidemia: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial 2023
    5. Garcia-Cordero Dietary Supplements Containing Oat Beta-Glucan and/or Green Coffee (Poly)phenols Showed Limited Effect in Modulating Cardiometabolic Risk Biomarkers in Overweight/Obese Patients without a Lifestyle Intervention 2023
    6. Ferguson High molecular weight oat β-glucan enhances lipid-lowering effects of phytosterols. A randomised controlled trial 2020
    7. Morales Modulation of human intestinal microbiota in a clinical trial by consumption of a β-D-glucan-enriched extract obtained from Lentinula edodes 2021
    8. Reiners Effect of a regular consumption of traditional and roasted oat and barley flakes on blood lipids and glucose metabolism-A randomized crossover trial 2023
    9. Santisteban Efficacy of Food Industry By-Product β-Glucan/Chitin-Chitosan on Lipid Profile of Overweight and Obese Individuals: Sustainability and Nutraceuticals 2024
    10. Kang Barley-Based Cereals Enhance Metabolic Health and Satiety in Overweight Korean Adults: A Randomized Trial 2025
    11. Morias Junior The separate effects of whole oats and isolated beta-glucan on lipid profile: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials 2023
    12. Ferriera Metabolic variables of obese dogs with insulin resistance supplemented with yeast beta-glucan 2022
    13. Fan Barley polysaccharides modulate metabolic and mild cognitive impairment in naturally aging mice through the liver-gut-brain axis 2025
    14. Ikewaki Beta 1,3-1,6 Glucans Produced by Two Novel Strains of Aureobasidium Pullulans Exert Immune and Metabolic Beneficial Effects in Healthy Middle-aged Japanese Men: Results of an Exploratory Randomized Control Study 2023
    15. Mio Effects of β-glucan Rich Barley Flour on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in the Ileum, Liver, and Adipose Tissues of High-Fat Diet Induced-Obesity Model Male Mice Analyzed by DNA Microarray 2020
    16. Liu Hepatic Lipidomics Analysis Reveals the Ameliorative Effects of Highland Barley β-Glucan on Western Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Mice 2021
    17. Yang Effects of β-Glucan from Three Different Sources on Glucolipid Metabolism in Mice with Metabolic Syndrome 2025
    18. Wang Barley β-glucan reduces blood cholesterol levels via interrupting bile acid metabolism 2017
    19. Wang High Molecular Weight Barley β-Glucan Alters Gut Microbiota Toward Reduced Cardiovascular Disease Risk 2016
    20. Ye Oatmeal induced gut microbiota alteration and its relationship with improved lipid profiles: a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial 2020

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