When Should You Increase Your Immune System?

Last updated January 18, 2023

Seasonal colds, air travel, and back-to-school – oh my! We are constantly exposed to potentially harmful germs, viruses, and microbes on a daily basis; it’s just a part of life. Luckily, our immune system – a mixture of organs, cells, and proteins – is hard at work protecting us. But there are certainly some peak times in life when you could use some extra defense.

Some people have a stronger immune system than others – which could be a possible reason why you caught a cold after your most recent trip back home for the holidays but your significant other didn’t. Luckily, it’s something you can make stronger with your beta glucan supplements.

Prolonged usage of beta glucan is helpful for a strong immune system, but you may be wondering if you can just boost before a big event. The short answer is: yes!

We’re diving into the most frequently discussed scenarios when you should consider beta glucans as your “health helper”, plus how much dosage is recommended. Let’s get started!

Traveling Abroad

Depending on where you’re traveling, you may be exposed to entirely new infectious diseases like yellow fever or hepatitis B.

We are not claiming beta glucans are a replacement for disease immunizations that are prominent in specific regions around the world. But it’s important to remember that, when traveling to a foreign country, you will be exposed to a myriad of new sounds, tastes, smells, traditions, and yes – even germs. So why not give your immune system the best chance it has to keep you running as normal? To reduce the risk of sickness dampening your vacation or travel time (adios stomach bugs!), grab your beta glucans.

Recommended dosage: One 500mg capsule per 50 lbs. of body weight three days prior to departure and three days after returning. Return to maintenance dosage after this time frame (2 - 100mg capsules daily).

Traveling by Plane

Along the same lines as the topic above, traveling anywhere by plane – international or just to the next big city over – is a great moment to add “take my beta glucans” to that pre-flight to-do list.

While travel is super beneficial for the mind and soul, the act of getting on a plane can be draining to the body. One obvious reason: bacteria and viruses can survive longer in low-humidity environments (1). In addition, you’re breathing in recycled air.

Factor that in with the knowledge that flying can negatively impact your normal bodily functions (well, you are 30,000 feet above the ground!), it’s obvious we’re talking about more pathogens + weakened immune system =  more chances of getting sick. (2)

Recommended Dosage: One 500mg capsule per 50 lbs. of body weight three days prior to flight departure until three days after returning. Return to maintenance dosage after this time frame (2 - 100mg capsules daily).

Going on a Cruise

Cruises – in addition to the excitement, exploration to see new places, and beautiful seascapes – are well-known for being a laid-back way to travel.

However, the main health risk on a cruise ship is person-to-person contact. Being close to hundreds or even thousands of people, contagious illnesses spread quickly in such an environment. So while you may be packing your mask and hand sanitizer for your voyage, you can also help out your immune system by taking your beta glucan supplements before you set sail.

Recommended Dosage: One 500mg capsule per 50 lbs. of body weight three days prior to embarking until three days after disembarking. Return to maintenance dosage after this time frame (2 - 100mg capsules daily).

Visiting a Loved One in the Hospital

Going to a hospital can already be quite nerve-wracking. At this sensitive and vulnerable time, you are probably fully focused on seeing your loved one – not necessarily on your own health.

But as anyone who has been a caregiver – from just a few days to years – will say, you need to figure out ways to keep yourself healthy, too.

The NHS has a list of simple things to do to protect your health while at the hospital, including prioritizing hand hygiene and not sharing the patient's toiletries, tissues, or hospital equipment. (3)

And, of course, if you know you’ll be spending some time inside a health center, it’s a great time to amp up your immune system with those beta glucans.

Recommended Dosage: One 500mg capsule per 50 lbs. of body weight three days prior to the visit until three days after the visit. Return to maintenance dosage after this time frame (2 - 100mg capsules daily).

Back to School for Teachers

Between touching, grabbing, manners yet to be learned, and children with underdeveloped immune systems coming in with colds left and right, it’s hard for teachers to feel prepared for that battle – on top of all the classroom set-up and lesson prep!

One CNN report tells us: “On average, elementary school children get six to eight colds each school year, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. For high school kids, it’s about half that. (4)(5) … Teachers and parents commonly refer to this cold and flu phenomenon as the “back-to-school plague.” (6)

To boost your immune system so you're prepped for the first day of school and beyond, break out the beta glucans!

Recommended Dosage: One 500mg capsule per 50 lbs. of body weight when school starts back and during peak cold/flu seasons. Return to maintenance dosage after this time frame (2 - 100mg capsules daily).

Peak Seasons for Physicians

According to a study by The Script, “Averaged across all specialties, we found that March was the busiest month of the year, followed closely by January and August,” noting things can differ by specialty. For example, pediatricians are busiest in August and allergists are busiest in the spring. (7)

If you’re a nurse or doctor yourself, you certainly know when peak season is at your clinic. To combat the ebbs and flows in medical practice volume that is connected to predictable events such as cold & flu season, boost your immune system and experience the amazing benefits of beta glucans.

Recommended Dosage: One 500mg capsule per 50 lbs. of body weight during peak cold/flu seasons. Return to maintenance dosage after this time frame (2 - 100mg capsules daily).

Cold, Flu & Allergy Season

The changing of the seasons is usually an exciting time, filled with new weather, new goals, and new plans. But it also comes with new challenges, which makes these transitions a good time to get serious about your immune health.

The most obvious time is around winter, as viruses do tend to transmit faster in drier, colder conditions. According to Penn Medicine, “It's perfectly normal for adults to sneeze and sniffle through two or three colds each year. Most people bounce back in seven to 10 days.” (8) But if you’re constantly catching colds and suffering from lingering symptoms, or you’re simply one of those “I can’t afford to get sick right now!” types of professionals, it may be due to a sluggish response from your immune system.

Along the same lines, allergy season is one of many different peaks, depending on where you live. Most people suffer from Spring allergies when trees begin to blossom, sending tree pollen into the breeze, affecting many of us like clockwork. Here’s an overview of the main allergens:

  • Tree pollen—March/April
  • Grass pollen—June/July
  • Ragweed—Fall
  • Mold—Fall

If any of these scenarios sound like you, you may want to set up your subscription for beta glucans around the same time you break out your winter wardrobe or start your spring cleaning.

Recommended dosage: One 500mg capsule per 50 lbs. of body weight during these peak allergy/cold/flu seasons. Return to maintenance dosage after this time frame (2 - 100mg capsules daily).

Going to a Concert or Large Indoor Event

After 2020, the fear of entering a large group of people and leaving sick has certainly grown. Whether it’s a sporting event, an exciting concert or a night out in New York finished with a Broadway show, it’s always been a smart thing to take caution. Because here’s the thing: virus spreads easily through the air when people are less than 6 feet apart.

Moreover, viruses can hang around the air of indoor spaces for up to 3 hours. This is what has been referred to as "Festival Flu", as many people end up sick a weekend after concerts. (9)

So if you’re planning a long weekend filled with activities, you certainly don’t want to feel sick or sluggish to ruin the rest of your planned activities. To ensure maximum immune system benefits before entering a sea of people this year or the next, add beta glucans to your “pack” list.

Recommended Dosage: One 500mg capsule per 50 lbs. of body weight three days prior to the concert/event until three days after the concert/event. Return to maintenance dosage after this time frame (2 - 100mg capsules daily).

Unclean or Contaminated Water

The average American consumes 1 to 2 liters of drinking water per day – but not everyone has access to safe, clean water 24/7. Water shortages and boil advisories are very prevalent in cities throughout the country – meaning your community’s water could have germs that can make you sick. This is often due to infrastructural issues, power outages, floods, water-line breaks, well problems, the loss of water pressure, loss of disinfection, or storms such as the latest big winter freeze that caused a water crisis in the South. (10)

Alternatively, you may just live in one of these cities burdened with unclean tap water. (11) In either case, you may be reaching for bottled water or boiling tap water to quench your thirst. However, having a strong immune response can help your body protect against harmful bacteria in the contaminated water.

Recommended Dosage: One 500mg capsule per 50 lbs. of body weight during shortages and boil advisories. Return to maintenance dosage (2 - 100mg capsules daily) a week after the advisory has been lifted.

Exposure to Chemicals and Environmental Toxins

Calling all firefighters, factory workers, radiation techs – and more! Every job has its own health hazards, but if your job calls for you to work directly with chemicals, you may benefit from boosting your immune system in order to protect yourself from daily chemical exposure.

And for the rest of us? There are still daily environmental toxins to look out for such as smog, UV rays, contaminated foods, and even second-hand smoke – most of which you cannot totally avoid! But if your job or lifestyle requires you to be outside most of the day, you, too, will benefit from an immune system boosted by beta glucans to help fight those environmental toxins.

Recommended Dosage: One 500mg capsule per 50 lbs. of body weight at all times due to these intense conditions.

Stay Strong During Big Life Events & Beyond

As anyone reading this has surely experienced, your immune system can’t protect you 100% of the time, especially when you’ve been in close quarters with foreign germs or just tons of people putting you at risk for exposure. Hopefully, you are now armed with the knowledge to use your beta glucan supplements by Better Way Health – the most studied, natural immune system supplement in the world – as your sidekick during these important moments in your life.

How does our Beta Glucan stack up?

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FAQ

For more information about beta glucan, Better Way Health and more, visit our FAQ page. To speak to an Amazing Customer Experience Specialist, give us a call at 800.746.7640or email us at hello@betterwayhealth.com

For maximum immune response, take 1, 500mg capsule per 50 lbs. of body weight. For example, if you weigh around 150 lbs. you would need to take 3 capsules per day. All capsules should be taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. After taking your capsules, wait 30 minutes before eating or consuming other products. If you forget to take your capsules in the morning it is safe to go ahead and take your Beta Glucan during the day, although the benefits will not be as significant. Remember, these dosage instructions are for maximum immune response.

"For maximum immune response, take One 500mg capsule per 50 pounds of body weight."

Our Beta Glucan is made in Wisconsin, USA, and bottled/encapsulated in Oregon, USA.

Our highly purified Beta Glucan powder is encased in a plant-based HPMC vegetarian capsule.

Additional Information: Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is a plant-based polymer derived from cellulose found in plant cell walls. Widely used in pharmaceuticals and food, it offers an alternative to traditional gelatin capsules, making them suitable for vegetarian and vegan preferences. HPMC is considered safe by regulatory agencies such as the FDA and EMA. Produced through a multi-step process involving cellulose modification, it undergoes extraction, alkalization, etherification, purification, and drying to ensure safety and quality for various applications in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Our Beta Glucan does not contain nor is it manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, corn, milk, egg, fish, nuts, or shellfish ingredients. However, it is produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens, but controls are in place to ensure there is no cross-contamination.

The short answer to that is Beta-1, 3D Glucan is a natural fiber molecule extracted from our source, baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). It enhances, supports, and maintains a good healthy immune system.

The long and more complex answer is that it is a naturally occurring long-chain polysaccharide purified from the cell walls of baker’s yeast. Our beta glucan is intensely purified: I cannot stress that enough. It is a biologically active complex of molecules; it is the single active ingredient in our Beta-1, 3D Glucan Capsules. A lot of times, people think we are dipping from four or five different buckets to make up our powder. This (Beta 1-3D Glucan) is the single ingredient in our compound.

Our Beta Glucan is readily taken up and converted into the body through the immune cells to bind (or hook up or plug into, if you please) to a specific site on the immune cells called the CR3 receptor. CR3 stands for complement receptor number three. These receptors are found on a myriad of different immune cells that make up our white blood cells or our “immune army,” also known as macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes, NK cells, and others. These immune cells make up a large part of the immune system’s main defense mechanism.

Technically, Beta-1, 3D Glucan is a polybranched, polyglucose complex fiber-like particle that when converted, yields a biologically active beta glucan molecule that specifically binds to this CR3 (or sometimes called Mac1 or sometimes called CD11/C18).

-AJ Lanigan

Our Beta Glucan is actually considered an immunomodulator. For a substance or product to be an immunomodulator it cannot overstimulate or suppress your immune system. Most products that address the immune system are marketed as “immune boosters,” but that’s actually a misrepresentation of Beta Glucan. This product will never cause overstimulation or harm as it provides a healthy, safe immune response at any dosage. The same cannot be said for typical “immune boosters.” Beta Glucan makes your immune system smarter and stronger, which aids in identifying self and non-self cells better than ever before.

-Better Way Health

It is kind of a general term which I don’t even think is just to characterize it or anything like that. If it is natural it means the molecule has to come from a natural source because sometimes you can have a modulator that is completely synthetic, the term “immunomodulator” means that it is something that either in the plastic tube or in our body will modulate or change individual parts of the immune system so it works differently. You can basically consider even an immunosuppressive drug an immunomodulator because it modulates your system. It’s better to talk about if it is a stimulator or a suppressor. It is something that will affect the immune system and change its activities and abilities.

Yes, in our body we usually need a positive, we need stimulation. Only in cases like we talked about, auto-immune diseases and transplantation, do we need the opposite. We need to suppress the system so that the system is not fighting the new kidney.

It is something that is usually neglected but for a lot of our problems in the last decade, they are our problems. It’s a situation where we live, the conditions, how we live, what we eat, the pollution in the air, in our water, and so on. This is causing the diseases. It is common knowledge even about allergy diseases. There are dozens of studies from Iceland where for decades there were very few allergies in Iceland. They have no trees and the grasses they have don’t have the allergic pollen and so on. So the level of allergies in Iceland, particularly among kids was maybe 1/10th of what is found in Europe or the United States. In the last decade, the conditions changed there, they still don’t have trees and they still have the same grass, but they are eating differently, and they have bigger towns, factories, and so on. Now over the last two or three years, the level of allergies in Iceland’s kids is identical to Western Europe. If you change the condition or change the food you are just not as healthy as you used to be. So, we have to think about it, we can hardly change how clear the air will be. You might change the nutrition a little bit, you might change what you eat, we can go for better vegetables or something like that but the conditions of life will be the same and that is where the immunomodulator can come and help.

-Dr. Vaclav Vetvicka

Once you swallow your Beta Glucan capsules, the product enters the stomach. Shortly after, it is taken up into a special region known as the Peyer’s Patches. In the Peyer’s Patches, there are M cells, which transport the Beta Glucan to immune cells. These immune cells chew up the Beta Glucan and distribute it all over the body. The Beta Glucan fragments bind to Neutrophils, Macrophages, and Natural Killer cells. The binding of Beta Glucan to these cells is only possible with something known as the CR-3 Receptor. The CR-3 Receptor acts like a key unlocking a door. This binding of Beta Glucan with immune cells is what puts them on “high alert” priming them for action. In about 3 days after taking your Beta Glucan your immune system will be “fully activated.”

-Better Way Health

I would suggest chasing the Beta Glucan with a 4oz glass of water. Once the Beta Glucan goes down the esophagus, it passes into the stomach. Keep in mind that Beta Glucan is a complex carbohydrate, nature’s armor and that the stomach acid is not going to affect it at all. It will then pass from the stomach into the small intestine. The Beta Glucan microparticles are going to be seen and consumed by M-cells, or microfold cells, inside your Peyer’s Patches in your small intestine.

Think of the Peyer’s Patches as little Venus flytraps that physically reach up and grab these particles. They do not soak through the intestines. There is an actual grabbing of the particles which then pulls them through the lining of the intestine. Once inside these pockets, the particles are now inside the intestinal wall in what is called the GALT (Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue).

There are millions of immune cells sitting and sampling everything that comes through the gut and they are going to be attracted to the Beta Glucan; which holds the fingerprint of the yeast, yet it does not cause any of the reactions that yeast may cause. Once the particles are gobbled up and internalized, they will begin to travel throughout the body. They go to the lymph system through the lymph nodes and then into the liver; and soon into the kidneys, lungs, and bone marrow. 

-AJ Lanigan

It goes through the stomach basically unchanged because we cannot process this type of saccharide. Only horses and animals basically eating grass can do it. We cannot. So it goes through the stomach and inside the intestine there are small patches of cells called Peyer’s Patches and they have a lot of different cells inside which have the receptor for the glucan.

So when the glucan slowly passes through, they actively see the molecules of glucan, bind it, catch them, and suck them in. By doing it, now they have the glucan inside. They start slowly to chew it up into smaller parts, it leaves the Peyer’s Patches into the other organs of the body releasing the fragments and in this way, the glucan is slowly spreading around our body. And it takes a couple of days. That is why I said it takes three days to see any results because it goes from one organ to another, cells are, exchanging glucan molecules.

-Dr. Vaclav Vetvicka

There are numerous ways for consumers to know which beta glucan product is the best. First, you must know the source of the product and where it’s manufactured. Our Beta Glucan is derived from the cell walls of baker’s yeast and is manufactured in the U.S. Second, know the level of purity of the particular product. The minimum level of purity for our product is 85%, which provides the best immune response possible to the consumer. Finally, check and see if there’s peer-reviewed, disinterested 3rd party research on the product. Our Beta Glucan has hundreds of studies published by teaching hospitals and major universities like Harvard, Louisville, and Cornell proving its safety and efficacy.

-Better Way Health

You have to do your homework. If you just believe whatever you read on the Internet, you will probably be taken to the cleaners. First of all, you should never go for the cheapest product. We used to say back home, “You are not rich enough to buy the cheap stuff.” If is too cheap something is most probably wrong. So that is one thing which should warn you.

It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to buy the most expensive one because you could be buying a more expensive bottle than anything else. But don’t go for the cheap stuff. Second, really check the information. Because to the company, either the manufacturer or the reseller, it doesn’t really matter. If he takes the material and the whole situation seriously he will give you detailed information on how it’s made, how pure it is, how much you have in the pill, give you some links to the research based on THIS particle of glucan and NOT on the glucan somebody else made, on MY glucan.

If it is there and the information/research sounds good, you most probably have a good product. If somebody is showing information having a yeast glucan and you see the reference for mushroom glucan from Japan, what does it mean? He just took something from the Internet and put it on the web page. Do the homework, be careful and you will end up with the good stuff.

-Dr. Vaclav Vetvicka

Our Beta Glucan goes through a rigorous purification process developed by creator, AJ Lanigan. Once this purification process takes place only about 10% of a given “batch” meets our 85% minimum purity standard. The “scraps”, so to speak, are sold off and marketed by other companies. In addition, the product has been tested time and time again proving its efficacy. When compared to other heavily marketed immune system products it comes out on top every single time. Most of these studies are conducted by a disinterested third-party researcher at the University of Louisville. In these studies, immune response levels are safely tested on both humans and animals. Our product is also Non-GMO encased in a Vegan, plant-based HPMC capsule.

-Better Way Health

Better Way Health Beta Glucan 500 is certainly one of the most renowned brands out there in the marketplace. In our world of immune system support, when you ask “What’s the best immune system supplement out there?”; well, the Better Way Health name is the most recognized.

Anyone who has spent time reviewing side-by-side comparisons of our product with, again, just about any other kind of immune compound; regardless of the source, you’re going to find that our product outperforms all competitors. This has been for years; this is not a new phenomenon that conclusive research done by disinterested third parties in major universities, teaching hospitals here in the US, facilities in Europe, and the Far East have all agreed upon Our Beta Glucan's potency 100%.

It’s not like echinacea (or other stimulants), where half say it works and the other half disagrees. Across the board, you get unanimous agreement that Glucan 500 by Better Way Health is the brand in Immunity Support: “You’ve arrived, stop looking!”

-AJ Lanigan

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I just take 2 to 3 of these per day, if I feel like I'm going to be traveling or around grandkids who have sicknesses then I will take more. 

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