Q1.
What are cereal beta glucans?
A. Beta Glucans are soluble
fibres found in cereal such as barley and oats. Due to their
structure they have been found to have a number of health
benefits and is one of the reasons why products containing
barley or oats are considered healthy.
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Q2.
How do they work?
A. When cereal beta glucans are taken in
by the body they essentially form a barrier in the stomach
which slows down the absorption of fat and sugars produced
by the action of bile and enzymes on our ingested food.
As the contents of the stomach are removed in line with
the standard digestive cycle, the body’s loss of bile
(which is largely made up of cholesterol) during this process
means that more must be produced.
As a result the body’s homeostatic mechanisms produce
more bile which results in cholesterol from the blood being
taken and therefore causes a reduction in blood cholesterol.
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Q3.
What scientific evidence exists to prove their effectiveness?
A. In human clinical trials barley beta glucan
gives on average 10-14% reductions in total and LDL- cholesterol
over a dose range of 3-8g per day. Higher intakes of beta
glucan (6-8g/day) lead to greater improvements in total cholesterol
levels, with over 20% reductions in LDL-cholesterol.
At high doses, beta glucan can be as effective as some
cholesterol-lowering medications. In a 1 year clinical trial,
adults consuming 16g of beta glucan per day, as part of a
diet containing a range of cholesterol-lowering foods, had
cholesterol level reductions that were as good as those achieved
by statin drug treatment.
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Q4.
Are cereal beta glucans better than plant sterols?
A. The recommended daily intake for plant
sterols is 3 grams per day. For beta glucan the recommended
intake is 0.75 grams per serving. At recommended intakes,
the cholesterol-lowering effects by plant sterols and beta-glucans
are comparable, with barley beta-glucan trials showing LDL-
cholesterol reductions of approximately 6% (10 mg/dl).
However, whilst in controlled studies 2-3 grams plant sterols
give 10-15% reductions in total and LDL- cholesterol, in ‘ad
libitum’ trials (ie. When plant sterols are added to
the participants’ normal diet) reductions of about half
these levels are achieved.
Interestingly, some studies have examined the effect of
a combination of cholesterol-lowering food components and
revealed that hypercholesterolaemic adults on a diet high
in beta-glucan, soy protein and plant sterols were able to
achieve LDL-cholesterol reductions greater than 20%.
So it’s definitely worth adding help: cholesterol
to soy yogurt for superior cholesterol lowering benefits.
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Q5.
Have any consumer trials been carried out on help: cholesterol,
as well as the scientific trials on beta glucans as an ingredient?
A. Works With Water is carrying out its own
consumer trials on help: cholesterol and results are due to
be published in 2010.
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Q6.
How many sachets of help: cholesterol do I need to take every
day to see a difference?
A. 3g of cereal beta glucans per day is sufficient
to show clinically relevant effect in those suffering from
mild hypercholesterolaemia. Each 14g sachet contains 2g of
Glucagel which contains 1.5g of Barley Beta Glucan, contributing
one half of the required daily dose. So you need to take 2
sachets per day.
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Q7.
What ingredients, other than beta glucans, are in help: cholesterol?
A. Erythritol which is a sugar substitute
naturally occurring in fruits. It has a calorie level of zero.
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Q8.
Does help: cholesterol contain preservatives?
A. No. help: cholesterol
is completely preservative free.
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Q9.
How many calories in each sachet?
A. Only 62
calories per 14g sachet – and 0 calories
from sugar.
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Q10.
Can I take help: cholesterol if I am diabetic or pregnant?
A. It is always advised to consult your healthcare professional
before using any form of dietary supplement if you are pregnant
or nursing. However, help: cholesterol contains no
flavourings or sweeteners so is
completely safe to consume if you are diabetic.
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Q11.
How soon should I begin to see an improvement in my cholesterol
levels?
A. Taking 2 sachets of help:
cholesterol everyday, you should begin to see an improvement
within 4 – 6 weeks.
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