Keeping informed on ingredients with clinical evidence to support immune system health has never been more important. One unique and naturally derived immunomodulator, Wellmune®, has demonstrated beneficial immune and health effects across multiple population groups.1
What is Wellmune®?
Wellmune® is a beta glucan isolated from the cell wall of a proprietary strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, also known as baker’s yeast.1,2
Beta glucans are naturally occurring polysaccharides that in nature, serve as energy and cell wall structural components for plants, algae, fungi, yeasts, seaweeds, bacteria, and cereals (rice, oat, barley). Commercially, beta glucans can be extracted from oats, mushrooms, and baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). However, each of these sources provides beta glucans with varying structures, molecular weight, and health effects. The source, structure, and extraction process of the beta glucan determines its biological activity.1,2
Wellmune®, the yeast beta glucan is highly refined with a branching polysaccharide chain (1-3/1-6) and a higher molecular weight than cereal beta glucans, like oats.1,2
Beta glucans with (1,3)/(1,6) glycosidic linkages are recognized by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and are thus involved in modulating immune functions, while a cereal based (1,4) glycosidic linkage containing beta glucan fails to mount immune responses and exerts its mechanism of action via modulating viscosity.3
How does Wellmune® work?
Emerging research has shown that baker’s yeast beta glucans improve immunosurveillance and pathogen elimination by enhancing the activity of the complement system and innate immune system defence to mount immunological responses.1
Once consumed, the Wellmune® beta glucans are well absorbed across the intestinal cells. They are identified as ‘non-self’, which stimulates the immune response. This begins in the innate immune system where the beta glucans are internalised into immune cells and phagocytosed into smaller particles. These particles are sent to the various immune organs and released over several days to interact and modulate innate immune responses.1,2 (See Figure. 1)
The beta glucan fragments can have a direct impact on innate immune cells, the complement system, and antibody-mediated immunity. They promote and enhance the activity of white blood cell production to destroy pathogens, activate T cells, B cells and natural killer (NK) cells, and increase cytokine (including various interleukins and other mediators), and chemokine production.1,2
Bhoite et al., defined the role of Wellmune® based on clinical data to prime the immune response and not just to boost it for it to act imminently to enhance the immune system.2
DOWNLOAD A PDF COPY OF THIS ARTICLE
References
1. De Marco Castro E, Calder P, Roche H. Beta-1,3/1,6-glucans and immunity: State of the art and future directions. Molecular Nutr Food Res 2020;65(1):1-15.
2. Bhoite R, Satyavrat V, Premasudha Sadananda M. Clinical benefits of β-glucan supplementation in children: a review. Discov Food. 2022;2(1):37.
3. Muthuramalingam K, Kim Y, Cho M. β-glucan, “the knight of health sector”: critical insights on physiochemical heterogeneities, action mechanisms and health implications. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2022;62(25):6908–31.
4. Mah E, Kaden VN, Kelley KM, et al. Beverage containing dispersible yeast β-glucan decreases cold/flu symptomatic days after intense exercise: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2020;17(2):200–10.
5. Molly. What is an immunomodulator, and how does it help support immunity? [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2024 May 15]. Available from: https://www.wellmune.com/2020/05/07/what-is-an-immunomodulator-and-how-d...