“How much beta-glucan is in your products?” is probably the most common question we receive. And we get it.

According to several studies, it appears that many of the potential health benefits of medicinal mushrooms are related to beta-glucans. So, it makes sense that suppliers (and end users) would want raw materials with the highest possible beta-glucan content.

However, this line of thinking is problematic.

Evaluating beta-glucan levels alone is a very narrow way of assessing the quality and efficacy of a medicinal mushroom product. It’s important to consider other aspects that affect quality, such as

• The complex nature of beta-glucans
• Their synergy with other bioactive compounds
• The complexity of medicinal mushrooms in general
• The cultivation and production methods of the mushroom raw materials

Let’s take a closer look at why looking at the beta-glucan content of medicinal mushrooms is only one piece of the quality puzzle.

The effectiveness of beta-glucans doesn’t just depend on their amount

Beta-glucans are a complex, structurally diverse group of compounds. Their effectiveness and impact on the human body depends not only on their quantity, but also on their specific structural characteristics.

In a nutshell, beta-glucans consist of individual glucose units that can be linked together in a variety of ways. The different linkages and their molecular weight can affect their bioactivity, or the effect beta-glucans have on the human body.

Therefore, a product with a higher beta-glucan content may still be less effective if the structure of the beta-glucans isn’t the “right” one for the particular individual using the product. This is impossible to know in advance, as individuals respond to medicinal mushrooms in unique ways. But it’s enough to understand that a high beta-glucan content does not necessarily mean the most effective medicinal mushroom product for everyone.

Most beta-glucan testing methods are unreliable

Because of this complex nature of beta-glucans, it’s difficult to measure their exact amount in medicinal mushrooms with current testing methods. Many common methods simply cannot detect the actual beta-glucan content because there is no test method specifically designed to test mushroom beta-glucans.

Fungal beta-glucans are different from polysaccharides (to which beta-glucans belong) or beta-glucans found in grains, for example. Most test kits are made for these types of polysaccharides, so they can’t really detect fungal beta-glucans.

These tests may not be able to distinguish between alpha and beta glucans when they are measured together. So the end result is a very high “beta-glucan content” which isn’t really the case.

There is basically one testing method, a spectrophotometric assay, that can be considered reliable. It’s not perfect, but it’s much more accurate than most other testing methods.

However, it’s not a standard test on the market because there isn’t one. You will get as many different beta-glucan values as there are testing methods used by different suppliers.

Standardizing the testing methods may not even help. You can get different beta-glucan values even when testing identical samples with identical methods. Ugh!

So, unfortunately, most beta-glucan values, especially the high ones around 50%, should be taken with a grain of salt. They’re probably not accurate.

Medicinal mushrooms offer more than beta-glucans

Medicinal mushrooms are very complex entities whose function is still not fully understood by humans. The overall efficacy of the mushroom product is most likely based on the synergy of these different ingredients rather than the concentration of any single component.

Yes, it’s important to remember that beta-glucans are not the only bioactive compound found in medicinal mushrooms. They contain a wide range of other valuable compounds, including polysaccharides, triterpenes, ergosterol, and more. Some mushrooms may have a lower beta-glucan content but a richer spectrum of other bioactive compounds, making them more effective.

Different mushrooms also contain beta-glucans with different structures and functions, the effectiveness of which depends on the individual taking the mushroom supplement.

Therefore, rather than focusing on beta-glucan content alone, it’s more important to understand the specific properties and potential uses of each medicinal mushroom and how to best utilize them in relation to the health goals of specific end users.

How medicinal mushrooms are sourced and processed also affects their quality and efficacy

How medicinal mushroom raw materials are cultivated and processed can greatly affect the quality of a mushroom product.

Even if a product claims high beta-glucan content, the source and processing methods play a significant role in determining its efficacy. A medicinal mushroom product with a lower beta-glucan content, but made from high-quality raw materials and with optimal processing methods, may outperform a product with higher beta-glucan content but otherwise inferior quality.

Cultivation and processing methods can also affect how effectively the human body can absorb and utilize the beta-glucans, or their bioavailability. A product with high beta-glucan content but poor bioavailability may not provide the expected health benefits. 

For example, the human body can’t absorb the nutrients from a mushroom powder that’s too coarse. It has to be very fine. Also, different extraction methods may yield specific beta-glucan structures. The choice of solvent, temperature, and extraction technique can also affect the results. Some extraction methods, such as alcohol extraction, can also be detrimental to beta-glucans. The same applies to high temperatures during extraction.

End notes

Medicinal mushroom suppliers and consumers alike may expect that higher beta-glucan content equates to better quality. But as we’ve just explained, this is not always the case.

To reduce all that medicinal mushrooms have to offer to a single number is to ignore most of the potential benefits. Not to mention everything else that affects the quality and efficacy of medicinal mushroom products.

The focus should be on the overall composition and potential health benefits of medicinal mushrooms rather than a single numerical value. Which, as we’ve learned, can be semi-accurate at best.