Wound Healing and Surgury
Beta 1,3D Glucan & Wound Healing
Beta Glucan has been documented as improving the wound healing ability of the skin and has already been combined with collagen to create a successful treatment of burns in children. [1] Products are already on the market for treatment of burns, dry skin and sunburn. Beta Glucan 1,3D has also been shown to improve tensile strength in colon and skin wounds [2] making it worthy of consideration for healing post-surgical wounds, especially ones in high tension areas such as Pilonidal Abscess removal. Some studies have shown Beta Glucan to have stimulated tissue granulation, enhanced re-growth of skin over wounds, and increased white blood cell activity.
Prevention of Infections
Enhanced wound healing is not the only benefit that Beta Glucan can provide in a surgical setting. A 1994 study showed that patients who were given Beta Glucan had significantly fewer infections, needed fewer antibiotics and had a shorter stay in the ICU [read Study]. Another study found that trauma patients and high-risk surgical patients had lower risk of sepsis and infections [read Study]. A study of rats induced into sepsis and later tested for oxidative organ injury suggested that Beta Glucan offered protection against oxidative damage.
Beta Glucan has been shown to protect against infection and enhance antibiotic efficacy in infections and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Experiments with Candida Albicans, Toxomoplasma gondii, Streptococcus suis, Plasmodium berghei, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and others shown evidence of the protective effect of Beta Glucan. A Phase III clinical trial conducted at thirty-nine medical centers in the U.S. showed that Beta Glucan reduced serious post-operative infections by 39% after high-risk noncolorectal surgeries [3].
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