Can Beta-Glucan Lower Your Lipids?
The lipid-lowering effect of beta-glucan has been studied in a variety of health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, and in people with high or normal cholesterol levels. In these studies, anywhere between 1 to 14 grams of beta-glucan was taken for a period of time between one and 12 weeks. Beta-glucan, usually derived from oat, barley, or yeast, was either taken as a supplement or added to various foods, including:
PorridgeCereal BarsSoupJuice
The majority of these studies found that beta-glucan had a favorable effect on lipids, especially on total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. In these cases, total cholesterol levels were lowered by up to 17% and LDL cholesterol levels were decreased by anywhere between 2 and 16 percent. People diagnosed with high cholesterol appeared to see a more significant lowering of their total and LDL cholesterol levels compared to those who had healthy cholesterol levels. On the other hand, there are a few other studies that did not see a notable difference in LDL or total cholesterol levels.
Triglycerides and HDL cholesterol levels did not appear to be significantly affected in many of these studies. In a few instances, there were slight, non-significant decreases in both HDL and triglycerides.
Should Beta-Glucan Be a Part of Your Cholesterol-Lowering Plan?
There are a few studies suggesting that taking beta-glucan can help lower lipids — especially your total and LDL cholesterol levels.
Although there are plenty of beta-glucan-containing supplements on the market, you can also opt to include healthy foods high in beta-glucan in your diet, including:
Barley Oatmeal Mushrooms Rye Wheat Seaweed
Not only will these foods add beta-glucan to your diet, but they are also chock-full of other healthy nutrients.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed foods with a high beta-glucan content, such as barley and oat products, to carry a heart-healthy claim on its food packaging. This is based on earlier studies suggesting that 3 grams or more of beta-glucan in these foods can notably reduce total cholesterol. Oatmeal and barley contain the highest amounts of beta-glucan per serving. For example, one to one and a half cup of cooked barley or oatmeal contains about contains anywhere between 2.5 to 3 grams of beta-glucan.
A diet containing foods high in soluble fiber like beta-glucan is generally well-tolerated, but you may notice constipation, flatulence, diarrhea, or abdominal cramping if you consume a lot of fiber-rich foods. If you are considering adding beta-glucan supplements to your cholesterol-lowering regimen, you should talk to your healthcare provider first. Beta-glucan, as well as other soluble fiber products, may interact with certain medications or aggravate certain medical conditions.
