title: Baker's yeast β-glucan supplementation increases monocytes and cytokines post-exercise: implications for infection risk?
abstract: Strenuous aerobic exercise is known to weaken the immune system, and while many nutritional supplements have been proposed to boost post-exercise immunity, few are known to be effective. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether 10 d of supplementation with a defined source of baker's yeast β-glucan (BG, Wellmune WGP®) could minimise post-exercise immunosuppression. Recreationally active men and women (n 60) completed two 10 d trial conditions using a cross-over design with a 7 d washout period: placebo (rice flour) and baker's yeast BG (250 mg/d of β-1,3/1,6-glucans derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae) before a bout of cycling (49 ± 6 min) in a hot (38 ± 2°C), humid (45 ± 2 % relative humidity) environment. Blood was collected at baseline (before supplement), pre- (PRE), post- (POST) and 2 h (2H) post-exercise. Total and subset monocyte concentration was measured by four-colour flow cytometry. Plasma cytokine levels and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated cytokine production were measured using separate multiplex assays. Total (CD14⁺) and pro-inflammatory monocyte concentrations (CD14⁺/CD16⁺) were significantly greater at POST and 2H (P<0·05) with BG supplementation. BG supplementation boosted LPS-stimulated production of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) at PRE and POST (P<0·05). Plasma IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-γ concentrations were greater at 2H following BG supplementation. It appears that 10 d of supplementation with BG increased the potential of blood leucocytes for the production of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-γ. The key findings of the present study demonstrate that BG may have potential to alter immunity following a strenuous exercise session.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Integrated Physiology, University of Houston, 3855 Holman Street, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Integrated Physiology, University of Houston, 3855 Holman Street, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Breslin
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Integrated Physiology, University of Houston, 3855 Holman Street, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Integrated Physiology, University of Houston, 3855 Holman Street, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Integrated Physiology, University of Houston, 3855 Holman Street, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: McFarlin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001642:Bicycling; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D056747:Immunomodulation; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013781:Texas; D055815:Young Adult; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D047071:beta-Glucans; C064197:beta-1,6-glucan; C033363:beta-1,3-glucan