Beta Glucan vs. high Blood Cholesterol

cholesterol-610x359Each year some 500 000 people die of heart disease in the United States. The incidence of new cases is <1.1 million each year. The link between elevated plasma LDL-cholesterol concentrations and the risk of developing coronary artery disease has been clearly established. Elevated plasma cholesterol and, in particular, LDL-cholesterol concentrations are associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease, whereas an elevated of HDLcholesterol concentration is inversely correlated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Studies have shown the yeast-derived beta-glucan fiber can lower total cholesterol and raised HDL-cholesterol concentrations significantly. Other studies published by PubMed also demonstrated that maitake (Grifola frondosa) fiber (MAF), shiitake (Lentinus edodes) fiber (SF), and enokitake (Flammulina velutipes) fiber (EF) used for 4 weeks lowered the serum total cholesterol level by enhancement of fecal cholesterol excretion, and in particular, by enhancement of hepatic LDL receptor mRNA.

These three beta-glucans are part of the ten mushroom species formulated in Elite 10.

SOURCES:

Clinical studies on PubMed

Original Research Communications

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7956987

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21505506

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