Latest news with #beta-glucan


The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
How an everyday breakfast staple could help people fight ‘forever chemicals'
A new study suggests that consuming a fibre supplement derived from oats before meals could help flush out toxic forever chemicals, known as PFAS, from the body. PFAS are widely used in products like non-stick cookware and cosmetics and have been linked to health conditions, including decreased fertility and a higher risk of some cancers. The study, published in Environmental Health, found that a dietary supplement with beta-glucan fibre, found in oats, can bind to PFAS in the digestive system, potentially reducing their levels in the body. Researchers found a nearly 10 per cent decrease in two dangerous PFAS types (PFOA and PFOS) in participants who took the oat fibre supplement for four weeks compared to those who received a placebo. The scientists suggest that while the results are modest, the findings offer a first step in formulating a dietary intervention to remove PFAS from the body, but further studies are needed.


The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Fibre found in everyday foods could help remove forever chemicals from our bodies
A new study suggests that eating a fibre supplement found naturally in oats, barley and rye before meals could help flush out toxic forever chemicals from the body. PFAS, known as forever chemicals, are used in products like non-stick cookware and cosmetics and have been linked to health conditions, including decreased fertility and a higher risk of some cancers. The study found that beta-glucan fibre molecules in oats can bind to PFAS in the digestive system, potentially reducing their levels in the body. Researchers found a nearly 10 per cent drop in two dangerous PFAS types (PFOA and PFOS) in participants who took an oat fibre supplement before each meal for four weeks. Scientists believe the findings offer a first step in formulating a dietary intervention to remove PFAS from the body, though further studies are needed with larger samples and longer intervention periods.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Study finds common dietary supplement can flush out toxic forever chemicals from your body
Eating a fibre supplement derived from oats before each meal could flush out toxic forever chemicals from the body, a new study suggests. Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, commonly known as forever chemicals, are widely used to make products like non-stick cookware, cosmetics, stain-resistant fabrics, firefighting foams, food packaging, and waterproof clothing. They persist in the environment for hundreds of years and are increasingly linked to a range of health conditions in humans, including decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, and a higher risk of some cancers. Scientists have been seeking ways to remove them from the body and the environment or degrade them into harmless compounds. 'Despite the growing concerns about the toxicity of PFAS, specific interventions to reduce PFAS levels in the body are limited,' the study notes. 'Current clinical treatments to reduce PFAS body burden are minimal.' Previous studies have shown that beta-glucan fibre molecules found in oats, barley and rye can bind to PFAS in the digestive system. The latest study, published in Environmental Health, finds that consuming a dietary supplement with beta-glucan fibre could significantly reduce PFAS levels in the body. Researchers recruited 72 Canadian men aged 18 to 65 with detectable levels of PFAS in their blood and fed 42 of them a diet supplement of one gram of oat beta-glucan, a type of soluble gel-forming fibre, before each mealtime, when the body produced the most bile. The remaining 30 participants received a placebo made of rice. 'Serum samples were collected from 72 participants in 2019-2020 at baseline and after four weeks of the intervention and were analysed for 17 PFASs,' the study states. After four weeks, researchers found a nearly 10 per cent drop in two of the most dangerous PFAS types in people who took the oat fibre supplement. The two forever chemicals, known as PFOA and PFOS, have been detected in drinking water, food packaging and cosmetics, and they can build up in the body over time. Although the results are modest, scientists say the findings offer a first step to formulating a dietary intervention for removing PFAS from the body. 'Results from this pilot analysis suggest a potentially practical and feasible intervention that may reduce human body burdens for some PFASs,' they say. 'However, studies utilising a larger sample with a broader range of serum concentrations, longer intervention period and clinically relevant fibre intakes are needed to determine the efficacy of using gel-forming dietary fibres to increase PFAS excretion.'


The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Study finds common dietary supplement can flush out toxic forever chemicals from your body
Eating a fibre supplement derived from oats before each meal could flush out toxic forever chemicals from the body, a new study suggests. Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, commonly known as forever chemicals, are widely used to make products like non-stick cookware, cosmetics, stain-resistant fabrics, firefighting foams, food packaging, and waterproof clothing. They persist in the environment for hundreds of years and are increasingly linked to a range of health conditions in humans, including decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, and a higher risk of some cancers. Scientists have been seeking ways to remove them from the body and the environment or degrade them into harmless compounds. 'Despite the growing concerns about the toxicity of PFAS, specific interventions to reduce PFAS levels in the body are limited,' the study notes. 'Current clinical treatments to reduce PFAS body burden are minimal.' Previous studies have shown that beta-glucan fibre molecules found in oats, barley and rye can bind to PFAS in the digestive system. The latest study, published in Environmental Health, finds that consuming a dietary supplement with beta-glucan fibre could significantly reduce PFAS levels in the body. Researchers recruited 72 Canadian men aged 18 to 65 with detectable levels of PFAS in their blood and fed 42 of them a diet supplement of one gram of oat beta-glucan, a type of soluble gel-forming fibre, before each mealtime, when the body produced the most bile. The remaining 30 participants received a placebo made of rice. 'Serum samples were collected from 72 participants in 2019-2020 at baseline and after four weeks of the intervention and were analysed for 17 PFASs,' the study states. After four weeks, researchers found a nearly 10 per cent drop in two of the most dangerous PFAS types in people who took the oat fibre supplement. The two forever chemicals, known as PFOA and PFOS, have been detected in drinking water, food packaging and cosmetics, and they can build up in the body over time. Although the results are modest, scientists say the findings offer a first step to formulating a dietary intervention for removing PFAS from the body. 'Results from this pilot analysis suggest a potentially practical and feasible intervention that may reduce human body burdens for some PFASs,' they say. 'However, studies utilising a larger sample with a broader range of serum concentrations, longer intervention period and clinically relevant fibre intakes are needed to determine the efficacy of using gel-forming dietary fibres to increase PFAS excretion.'