Environmental Toxins and Protections, including Beta 1,3/1,6 Glucan
What are mycotoxins and aflatoxins and how do they potentially have the capability to create mega negative health events in our lives. A mycotoxin is a toxin produced by a fungus or mold harmful to vertebrates, including humans, upon ingestion, inhalation or skin contact.
Technically, a mycotoxin is a toxic secondary metabolite produced by organisms of kingdom Fungi capable of causing disease and death in both humans and other animals. If that sounds scary, it should because it is scary!
More bad news – Aflatoxins are naturally occurring mycotoxins that include various poisonous cancer-causing carcinogens and mutagens. Certain molds, including the Aspergillus species, cause many issues including hepatic necrosis of the liver and carcinoma of the liver. Fungicides and pesticides attempt to control aflatoxins, but themselves have significant negative effects on the environment and in-turn humans and animals. No animal species is immune to aflatoxin toxicity.
These potentially dangerous fungi are found in soil, decaying vegetation and common staple foodstuffs and commodities; including hay, sweetcorn, wheat, millet, sorghum, rice, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and some spices. Infiltrated animal and human foods expose us to a wide range of these environmental toxins including mycotoxins and aflatoxins.
Bottom line, these fungal toxins can inhibit the body’s immune system effectiveness, making us more susceptible to infections, including viruses, and increases our probability of developing autoimmune diseases. With the current world status of susceptibility to multiple pathogens, we want to minimize our exposure and avoid being immunocompromised; especially if we have additional comorbidities such as diabetes.
While there are different beneficial antifungals, such as caprylic acid and olive leaf extract, there is a mysterious aura to the anti-fungal capabilities of naturally occurring beta 1,3/1,6 glucan. Beta 1,3/1,6 glucan is actually a major constituent of the cell wall of certain pathogenic fungi, but glucan is beneficial. Glucan is effective by absorption of mycotoxins while directly reducing aflatoxin production. Glucans with low toxicity can be used directly in animal feed; thus, enhancing the immune systems of animals and actually helping to detoxify the animal feed that can otherwise deliver the mycotoxins.
The Great Physician has provided many human and animal mysteries, such as how does a component of a fungal cell wall help to reduce the impairment and immunosuppression of a human or animal immune response? Thankfully, extensive scientific research and evidence repeatedly demonstrates glucan is a potent potentiator and normalizer of the immune cells and is in fact an anti-fungal now proven to minimize immunosuppression initiated by environmental toxins. For specific research refer to www.betaglucan.org as a non-commercial research site focusing on beta 1,3/1,6 glucan research by health condition.
While the human body does not produce beta glucan, there are special receptors, including Dectin one receptors, on the cell walls of macrophages and other immune cells that recognize and internalize beta glucan, preferably micronized. Today, we know environmental toxins are in our atmosphere, soil and food, and then transferred to us and our animals. The early scientific studies related to glucan as a decontaminant involved insoluble beta 1,3/1,6 glucan isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Beta 1,3/1,6 glucan works as a natural non-prescriptive immune potentiator which can nutritionally contribute to normalizing your immune response to minimize the negative threats of many pathogenic mycotoxins and aflatoxins as pathogenic environmental toxins.
