Can This 5,000-Year-Old Fungus Help You Look Younger at 55 Than You Did at 45?
Groundbreaking Discovery of Egyptian Primordial “Goo” Holds the Key to Smoothing Out Wrinkles, Tightening Sagging Skin, and Bringing Dull, Thin Skin Back to Life
Ask the average person (or the average doctor), and they will probably tell you that wrinkles and sagging skin are inevitable and “just a normal part of getting older.”
What they don’t know (or won’t tell you) is that biological aging of the skin happens for specific reasons. By working to treat these specific reasons, young-looking skin may return. Wa-lah!
Although nothing can reverse the aging process completely, there is one molecule that can provide your skin with the reinforcements it needs to take years off your appearance while at the same time nourishing and fortifying your entire body.
This substance is called beta glucan. Learn more about the incredible benefits of beta glucan skincare and how it can repair and revitalize your skin from the inside out!
Why Skin Ages
There are two basic reasons why skin ages: hormonal changes and damage caused by the environment.
Hormones are produced in the endocrine system. When they are released into the bloodstream, they are sent to all the major organs to help with communication and control. As we age, the production of hormones slows significantly, and the hormones that are produced tend to be metabolized (or broken down) at a much slower rate as well. Some organs themselves also become less sensitive to hormonal control (1).
When it comes to your skin, age-related hormonal changes can affect the production and utilization of three substances that are absolutely vital for healthy, youthful-looking skin. These three substances are collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid.
Collagen is the most essential substance for all living tissue in your body—everything from muscle and bone to skin. It is a protein that literally provides the “glue” for creating and renewing structural tissue, including skin tissue.
Elastin is a protein substance as well that helps to form connective tissue in skin. It is especially prevalent in the second, or dermis, layer. It, along with collagen, creates elasticity and suppleness in these layers. Finally, hyaluronic acid is a fluid created in the body that acts like a “cushion” and lubricant in tissues and joints.
As a person ages, all three of these substances wane as production slows. According to a 2021 study, a typical person will experience collagen decline by 1% -1.5% every year, from about age 30 on (2).
Elastin and hyaluronic acid also feel the pull of the aging process. Elastin fibers become thinner as one ages, and hyaluronic acid production slows considerably as well. According to some experts, by the time a person reaches their late 20s, the skin’s natural exfoliation abilities have already reduced by 28%.
In addition to aging, the skin is also negatively affected by simply being exposed to the environment in today’s chaotic world. UV radiation from the sun, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from gas fumes, and cigarette smoke (either secondhand or firsthand) are all examples of environmental toxins that can take their toll on your skin (3).
Exposure to cigarette smoke, for example, even secondhand smoke, can affect the body’s ability to absorb and utilize vitamin C, according to many studies (4). Vitamin C is a vital nutrient for the production of collagen.
The results of age and environmental exposure will inevitably begin to show on your skin, especially around the face. The loss of collagen can cause wrinkling, blotchiness, and sagging. The decline of elastin results in loose-hanging skin caused by the thinning of the epidermis. And lower levels of hyaluronic acid may cause skin to look dry and blotchy since hyaluronic acid plays a major role in the ability of the skin to retain moisture.
This all sounds like a pretty dire situation. But there is a solution to the massive wrinkling, sagging, and drying that can come with growing older in today’s modern world.
It’s called Beta Glucan, and you are going to be amazed at what it can do for you!
The Solution: A 5,000-Year-Old Substance Called “Beta Glucan”
Thousands of years ago, the ancient Egyptians along the Nile River knew that they could increase their longevity by eating certain foods that grew naturally in their region, including foods that contained beta glucan.
Yes, researchers discovered recently that the ancient Egyptians cultivated and used this powerful, tiny molecule in their own way almost 5000 years ago. And now modern science is discovering exactly how beta glucan can unlock the mechanisms in your body that turn on the “fountain of youth.”
Glucan has the ability to boost collagen production, which helps to smooth out lines by going deep into the skin.
What Exactly is Beta Glucan?
In a nutshell, beta glucan is a kind of polysaccharide (a large molecule containing many small sugar molecules) that grows inside the cell walls of certain plants, namely other fungi (i.e., mushrooms), certain kinds of grains, and yeast.
Researchers have actually been studying the effects of beta glucan on human health, especially heart cholesterol levels, for over eighty years (5).
When beta glucan is ingested, it travels to the small intestine. This is where the majority of your immune system cells are produced, by the way.
Once in that area, beta glucan molecules land on the Peyer’s Patches. Peyer’s Patches are tiny spaces of lymph tissue located along the intestinal lining that act as the main “transport hubs” between the gut and the bloodstream.
They determine what substances can pass through the gut into the bloodstream and what substances need to stay put and eventually get flushed out as waste.
At the Peyer’s Patches sites, other mechanisms within the immune system recognize beta glucan molecules as beneficial. They allow them to pass through into the bloodstream, where they go to work within the immune system to supercharge immunity, lower inflammation, and more.
Hundreds of studies have been done over the years which show what beta glucan can do to help immune health. One of the most impressive investigations was a 2007 report published in the European medical journal Medicina.
The researchers found that beta glucan has the ability to increase Natural Killer Cell production and effectiveness, along with other macrophages. NK Cells tend to target mutagenic cancer cells especially, as well as other heavy-hitting pathogens in the body (6).
Beta glucans’ disease-preventing, immune system-boosting ability and its role as a super antioxidant can help your skin as well. A 2014 study found that beta glucan can produce anti-wrinkle activity, wound healing, and protection against UV radiation, amongst other things (7).
Studies have also shown that beta glucan is able to kickstart mechanisms to help retain moisture, and ingesting it or applying it topically can lead directly to increased elastin and collagen in the skin. The way that beta glucan works with the immune system also helps with cell turnover in the dermis and epidermis layers of the skin.
Why Beta Glucan Is Better Than Other Skincare Products
Beta glucan is not like other substances. It is not something that you simply add to your diet like a collagen supplement, for example.
It is a whole food-derived substance that helps to reset the body for longevity by upgrading your body’s natural mechanisms for healing, rejuvenation, and enhancing epidermal immunity.
A good analogy to explain the difference between beta glucan and other supplements is to think about your favorite vehicle. You can give your ride a couple of gallons of higher-premium gas before a big trip… or you can take your entire car into the shop to get a major engine upgrade.
The former may make your engine purr for a few miles, but that’s about it. The latter enables your car to operate at a whole new level for the entire trip and beyond, including getting 1,000 miles to the gallon!
There are no known side effects relating to our beta glucan products. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given our beta glucan a GRAS grade, which stands for "Generally Recognized as Safe" under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Beta Glucan and Specific Skin Conditions
Beta glucan is not a “one substance that cures all.” However, it sure does come close! Here are just a few specific ways beta glucan may be able to help your skin:
Lowering Inflammation
In addition to the skin health benefits of beta glucan, it may also help to lower inflammation. Beta glucan can be applied topically on your skin or in the form of a supplement.
Inflammation is simply your body’s response to pathogens, infections, or injury. When inflammation becomes chronic due to a high toxic load, chronic stress, or an ongoing disease condition, negative consequences can result.
This is also where beta glucan comes in! In a first-ever study of beta glucan and skin inflammation, a University of Louisville team found that β(1-3)-D-glucans (beta glucans found in yeast) were able to inhibit adipogenesis.
Adipogenesis is a major player in metabolic imbalance and obesity. Because of this effect and other factors, the researchers concluded that yeast-derived beta glucan can help significantly lower inflammation in the skin, which can lead to wound healing and more.
Encouraging Wound Healing
As mentioned above, a big part of beta glucan’s ability to heal comes from its role in lowering inflammation. This plays a key role in wound healing as well.
According to an in vivo study conducted at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, beta glucan was able to improve the effectiveness of antibiotic injection treatment for staphylococci by 50% (8).
Beta glucan used in topical facial creams can also help clear up scarring and pockmarks that may occur from acne outbreaks. It also evens out inflammation and skin barrier dysfunctions that can often occur after dermatological acne treatments, according to a trial study conducted in 2021 (9).
Treating Sensitive Skin
As beta glucan is a distinct carbohydrate molecule that can bind to numerous receptors in the human body, it may help protect sensitive skin from outside factors by boosting the body's natural defenses against harmful bacteria that damage the skin's barrier.
Due to this, those who suffer from skin redness or skin sensitivity may find relief by applying beta glucan skin cream to the affected area.
Smoothing Out Wrinkles
All-natural creams and lotions that contain beta glucan can help smooth out wrinkles and fine lines by boosting collagen and elastin production, increasing hyaluronic acid content and effectiveness, and more.
A groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science analyzed "before and after" wrinkle markers on 27 subjects who used beta glucan topically for 8 weeks. There was a measured improvement in the markers after two months of use.
Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits of beta glucan for your skin!
Other studies have linked its use to protection against sun overexposure, minimizing signs of sun damage due to antioxidant properties, repairing damage caused by toxins, healing dry skin, and more (10).
Top Benefits of Beta Glucan Replenishment Cream
- Stimulates collagen synthesis and cellular proliferation
- Promotes wound healing
- Soothes, conditions, and firms damaged skin
- Reduces the signs of aging and refreshes tired skin
- Acts as an anti-inflammatory agent
- Helps repair damage from photo-aging
- Extensively tested for hydration and safety
- Rapidly accelerates the healing of decubitus ulcers (bed sores)
What Are the Best Sources of Beta Glucan?
Beta glucan is a polysaccharide that can be found within the cellular structure of many kinds of whole foods, including seaweed, some cereals, grains such as oats, rye, wheat, and barley, mushroom varieties like shiitake, and some yeast species, such as nutritional yeast and Baker’s yeast.
Suggested reading: Powerful Prebiotic Foods
Each variety of beta glucan is similar in that they all help the body significantly overall. Over the years, however, research has discovered that varieties of beta glucan that come from Baker’s Yeast tend to have the widest range of positive benefits for the body on all levels. It also tends to be more potent than other varieties.
Baker’s Yeast, or Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is found both outside and inside the human body. And there is a good chance that you have already heard of it since it has been used in baking, beer brewing, and winemaking for centuries.
Don’t worry, Baker’s Yeast beta glucan is completely gluten-free and will not give you a buzz! According to 50 years of research, it can, however, significantly help with skin-related disorders, smooth out wrinkles and scarring, and lower inflammation in the skin when used as a primary ingredient in any high-quality skin cream.
In fact, a study report in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science published over 20 years ago found that yeast-derived beta glucan can significantly help protect against UV-A irradiation too. This is the kind of radiation that comes from the sun and also some sources of artificial lighting. Baker’s Yeast beta glucan also has the ability to instigate the growth of keratinocytes, which are the most prevalent type of cell in the epidermis layer of the skin (11).
How Can You Use Beta Glucan for Skin?
As you may have noticed by now, beta glucan is usually consumed either internally in capsule form or topically as a lotion or cream on any skin type. Both forms can have amazing benefits for your skin.
When ingested as a capsule or powder, beta glucan literally restores the skin from the inside out. As it goes to work on your immune system and inflammatory levels, it also creates a powerful and solid foundation for overall health and skin strengthening.
When it comes to direct and noticeable changes that can help your skin go from dry, dull, and wrinkle-prone to more smooth, supple, and blemish-free than ever before, beta glucan topically is definitely the way to go!
Active Ingredients in Our Beta Glucan Cream
Better Way Health’s exclusive “Skin’s Moisture” Beta Glucan Replenishment Cream is like no other.
This all-natural proprietary formula contains American-sourced active ingredients:
- Baker’s yeast-derived beta glucan – This component has been documented to activate phagocytic cells, the first line of defense against pathogens. This is an essential process as when skin is damaged, the immune system goes to work.
- Hyaluronic acid – Extra moisture-enhancing sodium hyaluronate cross polymer is a form of hyaluronic acid that is able to retain moisture five times more than regular HA.
- Soothing aloe vera (ACTIValoe®) – The essence of key citrus fruits for vitamin C enhancement, and much more.
If the state of your skin is getting you down, know that you DO have options and that you CAN do something about it! Major wrinkling, sagging skin, dry patches, and blemishes aren’t inevitable. With beta glucan, you can be proactive with your skin health and have fresh, smooth, younger-looking skin again in no time, no matter what your age!