Wellmune’s immune health benefits during and after exercise confirmed by new study

16 Nov 2017 --- Adults at an average fitness level show improvement in immune health both during and after strenuous exercise when taking Wellmune, a natural immune health ingredient found in food, beverages and supplements. The further benefits of the proprietary baker’s yeast beta-glucan, part of Kerry’s nutrition and wellness portfolio, have come out in a newly published clinical study.

The latest study on Wellmune’s benefits, titled “Oral Supplementation with Baker’s Yeast Beta Glucan Is Associated with Altered Monocytes, T Cells and Cytokines Following a Bout of Strenuous Exercise,” was published in Frontiers in Physiology.

Using exercise stress to modulate the immune system, the study examined the effects of the beta-glucan on immune function during and after exercise.

Results showed that Wellmune-consuming participants maintained elevated levels of cytokines during exercise stress and superior recovery capability when compared to participants taking a placebo. Participants taking Wellmune also had a significantly higher number of monocytes and T-cells circulating in the blood than those consuming a placebo. These results suggest that participants’ immune systems were able to avoid common post-exercise suppression when supported by Wellmune.

“Immediately after vigorous exercise, the strength of the body’s immune system is reduced, making both trained athletes and ‘weekend warriors’ more prone to illness,” says Donald Cox, Ph.D., Kerry’s Director of R&D for Wellmune. “The positive results from this study are critical indicators that taking Wellmune can help strengthen the immune systems of active adults undergoing high physical stress.”

Findings from the new study are consistent with other published studies that show Wellmune is clinically proven to help improve general immune health, reduce the incidence of upper respiratory tract infection symptoms and improve the overall sense of well-being in people experiencing physical or lifestyle stress.

“Through our focus on clinical research, we are committed to providing an effective immune health ingredient that helps people live a quality life and supports their activate lifestyles,” continues Cox. “This study builds on already-established clinical data that demonstrates Wellmune helps support our immune system throughout our life or lifestyle needs.”

Significant study results
A randomized, double-blind, crossover study was conducted by Dr. Brian McFarlin at the Applied Physiology Laboratory at the University of North Texas. A total of 109 healthy adults (50 men and 59 women) of average fitness participated, consuming 250 mg of Wellmune or a placebo daily for 10 days before exercise.

After the supplementation period, participants exercised on a treadmill for 90 minutes in a hot, humid environment, alternating slow and fast seven- and eight-minute jogging intervals. All participants observed a seven-day washout period after exercise and before beginning the other arm of the trial.

Data from the new study suggest that participants taking Wellmune produced 48 percent more of the cytokine interferon-gamma than the placebo group. During recovery from exercise, the Wellmune group had a 43 percent (two hours into recovery) and 38 percent (four hours into recovery) increase in the number of killer T-cells circulating in their blood compared to participants taking a placebo.

Wellmune supplementation also increased the number of circulating monocytes after exercise by 27 percent (two hours into recovery) and 29 percent (4 hours into recovery). The Wellmune press release points out that the results cited were statistically significant (p<0.05).