Why Recommend Betaglucare?

• To help patients improve their self-care by a naturally lowering their cholesterol.
• To provide an option of credible, evidence based dietary approaches. Betaglucare is complementary to pharmaceutical treatment but in some cases may be a treatment on its own.
• The first step should always be adopting healthy changes in diet and exercise. Betaglucare can be included as a key element in these changes.

How does Betaglucare work?

Cholesterol

When you eat Betaglucare the beta-glucan forms a thick gel in the gut which binds with bile acid. Bile acid contains LDL cholesterol, or the ‘bad’ cholesterol.

By binding with bile, the cholesterol re-absorption is reduced thereby reducing LDL blood cholesterol levels. Additionally, the liver then needs to produce replacement bile acid by sourcing LDL cholesterol from the blood stream.

Blood sugar

When Betaglucare reaches the stomach it forms a viscous gel. This gel forms a thin layer inside the small intestine which slows down the uptake of carbohydrates. This leads to lower postprandial blood glucose and lower blood insulin after eating.

It is also a low GI food in itself and as such is very beneficial in its own right for patients seeking a low GI diet.

What does Betaglucare contain?

Betaglucare contains a high concentration of beta-glucan, which is a soluble fibre derived from Scandinavian oats. The unique growing climate in the Scandinavian countries produces oats that are rich in high quality beta-glucan. Both the Hearts and the Powder are 100% pure oat bran

In order to effect a reduction in LDL cholesterol, you must consume at least 3 grams of beta-glucan per day, the same quantity contained in each daily portion sachet of Betaglucare.

To reduce postprandial blood glucose levels, 4 grams of beta-glucan is required to be consumed along with 30 – 80 grams of carbohydrates. The recipes under the Blood glucose management heading on the recipes tab contain the required quantities of beta-glucan and carbohydrates.

Can I eat breakfast oats instead?

To gain the daily 3 grams of beta-glucan required to reduce cholesterol, you would need to eat up to 3 bowls of oats per day.

Because Betaglucare is very low GI, it serves to reduce the rate at which carbohydrates are digested. The starch content in Betaglucare is 10% – 15%, this significantly lower than regular oats (70%). In addition, the molecular density of beta-glucans contained in Betaglucare differentiates it from regular oats.

It is this molecular density that enhances the gel forming qualities and therefore efficacy in binding with bile acid, thus reducing cholesterol re-absorption.

New knowledge - the importance of quality

Gateway Brands Swedish partner, Prorsum Healthcare, works closely with world-leading beta-glucan producer Swedish Oat Fiber. Along with this, we also have a unique opportunity to follow the latest developments in beta-glucan research.

In 2010 a Canadian study was published called “Bluebird”, which compared the cholesterol lowering effect of beta-glucan with different molecular weight. Beta-glucan in oats has a MW of > 2,000 kDa (kilo Dalton ), but when the beta-glucan is extracted the MW can be negatively affected; e.g. through heat and pressure.

The study compared the beta-glucan of four different weights, the largest being 2.210 kDa and the smallest 210 kDa. This study showed significant variation in effecting cholesterol reduction between the differing weights. 14 Betaglucare was the reference product in this study.

What are the health benefits from an improved diet?

For the reduction of LDL cholesterol we know that not only the amount of beta-glucan needs to be 3g, but also the molecular weight is important. This provides an explanation for why some studies on processed beta-glucan did not show efficacy, and also why barley beta-glucan is slightly less effective.

How do I eat Betaglucare?

Simply add Betaglucare Crispy Oat Hearts to your breakfast cereal, muesli or with yoghurt as part of your daily routine. Alternatively, the mild oat flavour means you can even eat it on its own.

Does Betaglucare contain gluten?

Yes, Betaglucare may contain gluten.

Are there any side effects?

Betaglucare has no side effects other than those that come from a high fibre diet. If you are unfamiliar with a high dietary fibre intake, you may feel ‘noisy’ in the stomach initially. This will normally resolve within the first week.

If problems persist – halve the dosage and be sure to drink enough fluids when eating Betaglucare.

Are there any known drug interactions?

There are no known interactions with drugs. ( Beta-glucans have been studied since the late 1980s, and several meta-analyses have been published )

Does Betaglucare replace medication?

No, but Betaglucare is an excellent complement to medications, progress should be monitored in consultation with your Doctor, Dietitian or Diabetes Educator.

If your patients are looking for a natural way to reduce cholesterol rather than going onto medication, Betaglucare can be included as part of a healthy diet low in saturated fats.

If your patients are looking for a natural way to manage blood glucose levels after meals, Betaglucare can be recommended to use at any meal occasion. For example the hearts can be used for breakfast while the powder can be also used for lunch or dinner as a smoothie with a meal.

What are the costs?

About the same as an apple a day, or about $1.30.

Pharmacists - did you know we have an online accredited CDP training module?

Simply logon to www.pharmacistclub.com.au and go to the CPD tab then click on ‘Can Oat beta-glucan play a role in cardiovascular health?’ to complete. This activity is 0.5 hours of Group 2 CPD (or 1 CPD credit) upon successful completion of the relevant assessment activities. There is also a video you can view on how you can recommend Betaglucare to your customers as a natural healthy option.

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