Wellmune

EAGAN, MN — April 24, 2012 — Fourth-year medical students at Southampton University Medical School taking Wellmune WGP^®, a natural immune health ingredient, for 90 days reported fewer days of cold/flu symptoms than their placebo-consuming classmates, according to a paper published online in the June issue of the peer-reviewed journal Nutrition.

Wellmune WGP is scientifically proven to activate innate immune cells that help keep the body healthy.  Specifically, Wellmune primes neutrophils, the largest population of immune cells in the body and an important part of the body’s natural defenses.  This award-winning functional ingredient is contained in numerous foods, beverages and supplements in more than 30 countries.

The article notes that upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is the most frequent infectious disease in humans, with an average of two to four episodes per year in adulthood and 6 to 10 episodes per year in childhood.  The economic impact of the common cold is significant, costing an estimated $40 billion annually in the U.S. alone, with approximately 500 million non-influenza-related URTI episodes annually.

“Strategies to decrease the frequency and severity of URTI symptoms…would have a highly beneficial impact on health and socioeconomic performance,” said Richard Fuller, M.D. of The Dove Clinic for Integrated Medicine and principal investigator for the study. “Wellmune WGP activates innate immune cells, the body’s first line of defense, which helped students become more resilient to health challenges.”

The citation for the paper is:  Fuller R, et al., Influence of yeast-derived 1,3/1,6 glucopolysaccharide on circulating cytokines and chemokines with respect to upper respiratory tract infections. Nutrition (2012), doi: 10/1016/j.nut.2011.11.012. Click here for the abstract.

Study Design & Results

The study was conducted during the peak of the 2010 cold-flu season.  During the 90-day, double-blind, placebo-controlled study among 100 healthy medical students, participants taking 250 mgs of Wellmune WGP daily reported 43 fewer days of URTI symptoms than their classmates who received a placebo. The results are a strong statistical trend (p=0.06). The findings were originally presented at a British Society for Immunology conference in Liverpool, UK, in 2010.

While the authors note that larger studies are needed, results of this study demonstrated that Wellmune WGP provided real immune health benefits to the students. Specifically:

• There was a reduction (18%) in the total number of days with self-reported URTI symptoms in Wellmune WGP group compared to placebo.

• In total, 24 episodes of URTI were medically confirmed, 12 episodes in each group.

• Wellmune WGP did not induce inflammatory cytokines. No cytokine change was seen during symptomatic URTI between study groups.

“The results are consistent with eight other clinical studies regarding the immune support effects of Wellmune WGP,” said Don Cox, Ph.D., senior vice president of research and development at Biothera.

Biothera and its research collaborators have previously conducted clinical studies involving marathon runners, wildland firefighters, women and other individuals with high lifestyle stress. To learn more, go to www.wellmune.com/research/scientific-literature/clinical-research.

About Wellmune WGP^®

Wellmune WGP is a natural beta 1,3/1,6 gluco polysaccharide that is clinically proven to prime key immune cells that keep the body healthy. This unique food, beverage and supplement ingredient has regulatory approval around the world, including GRAS status in the U.S. and novel foods approval in Europe and China.  It is also patented, Kosher, Halal, non-allergenic and GMO-free. In addition to receiving an IFT Innovation Award, Wellmune has received a SupplySide West Scientific Excellence Award and a Frost & Sullivan Excellence in Research Award. Wellmune WGP is a product of Biothera, a U.S. biotechnology company dedicated to improving immune health.

If you’ve got kids, you know that frequent sniffles and coughs go with the territory. The average preschooler brings home around nine colds each year. Kindergarteners have around 12 colds per year. While you can’t (and shouldn’t) protect your child from every bug they encounter, there are things you can do to reduce the number of infections they get every year.

Our moms gave us temporary defenses

We don’t come into this world with a fully developed immune system. Antibodies passed on through a mother’s placenta protect newborns. That protection gradually fades away as the baby’s own immune system develops. Each time we’re exposed to a new bacteria or virus, our bodies create antibodies to fight it off. The next time it tries to invade our bodies, the antibodies are already in our arsenal. Simply put: exposure to germs primes their immune system.

Hello daycare, hello runny noses

Preschool-aged children who attend daycare tend to get more colds than those who spend their first years at home. However by catching cold more often, they also are developing stronger immune systems. So by the time they start school, they tend to have fewer sick days than their classmates who stayed at home and who weren’t exposed to as many cold viruses.

There are healthy steps you can take to help your kids build strong immune systems

• Consider breast-feeding your baby. Breast milk is like a supersized serving of antibodies that help to protect against everything from ear infections, respiratory tract infections and allergies to diabetes. Some studies cited by the American Academy of Pediatrics indicate it may also reduce the risk of infant mortality.

• Feed your children foods that will help them fight off germs. Some foods, including colorful fruits and vegetables, contain phytonutrients which help keep children healthier overall. These include pink grapefruit, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, oranges, blueberries, strawberries and papaya. In contrast, diets rich in sugars may actually reduce a child’s immunity.

• Get your children all of their recommended vaccinations. Childhood vaccinations save lives. For example in 1994, a year before the chickenpox vaccine was available, the disease killed 100 children and hospitalized 10,000 annually. Today, unvaccinated children are nine times as likely as others to contract chickenpox, according to a study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Unvaccinated kids also are 23 times more likely to catch whooping cough. If you have concerns about vaccinations, have a talk with your pediatrician. The risk that comes from contracting these diseases is often far greater than any risks that come from the vaccines. For a current childhood vaccination schedule, visit the Centers for Disease Control website.

• Be consistent about naps and bed times. Studies show that lack of sleep can make children more susceptible to diseases by reducing their natural immune cells. Newborns need up to 18 hours of sleep, toddlers need nine to 14 hours, and children ages 5-12 need 10-11 hours per night.

• Follow your pediatrician’s advice regarding antibiotics. It’s not a good idea to insist that your child’s doctor write a prescription for antibiotics each time your child has a cold or sore throat. Antibiotics can only treat bacteria, not viruses. Overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistant bacteria. As a result, simple things such as ear infections or upper respiratory infections may become stubbornly resistant to a cure. So use antibiotics only when recommended, and be sure your child finishes the entire prescription even if he or she starts to feel substantially better.

Taking steps to help build your child’s immune system may result in fewer sick days and fewer visits to the doctor and pharmacy.

Fitness Expert JJ Virgin appears on KNXV’s Sonora Living TV show to talk about three things you can do on a daily basis to avoid getting sick. Which vitamin really helps? And why is she recommending cookies? Learn some cool facts about Wellmune WGP, an ingredient that may make a difference for you this cold & flu season.

Statistics say that the average person will get 200 colds in her or his lifetime. So you might think that, by now, you know just about everything there is to know about colds. Not so fast. Here are some little known facts about the virus that makes us all miserable from time to time.

• Common colds are caused by viruses, and can’t be treated with antibiotics. There’s no cure, but most colds do go away on their own within 10 days.
• Being outside in the chilly weather won’t increase your chances of catching a cold. You could stand outside barefoot in the snow, with your hair wet, and it still wouldn’t increase your chances of catching a cold as much as being in a crowded room with re-circulating air.
• The speed of a cold sufferer’s sneeze can reach 100 miles per hour. That’s roughly as fast as a professional baseball pitcher’s fast ball.
• There are more than 100-200 varieties of the rhinovirus, the most common cause of colds. New cold viruses constantly evolve. That’s what makes it next to impossible to develop immunity to the common cold.
• Most cold medications treat the symptoms, not the underlying illness. They may make you more comfortable, and may even shorten the duration of your cold, but they aren’t necessarily killing the cold virus.
• If you start having cold symptoms, you were probably exposed two days earlier. It takes about 48 hours for the cold virus to invade your cells, and for your body to start reacting.
• One cold virus germ can multiply to 16 million within 24 hours.
• Feed a cold, starve a fever is not smart. Good nutrition helps fuel your immune system.
• Vitamin C probably won’t protect you from the cold virus. A major review of more than 30 studies found that for most people, vitamin C does not prevent or reduce cold symptoms.
• Zinc might not reduce cold symptoms. According to WebMD, the research is inconclusive. “For every study showing a positive benefit with zinc, there’s another study showing no benefit at all.”
• Children typically get four to six colds per year. On the other end of the spectrum, people over age 60 typically get just one cold a year.
• A cold is most contagious before you start feeling sick. You’re most likely to spread a cold to other people about a day before you start coughing and sneezing, about three days after your initial exposure to the virus. Most people will remain contagious about three to four days into their illness.
• A cold virus can live on objects for several hours. It is possible to catch a cold by touching telephones, computer keyboards and pens – and then your eyes or nose. That’s why hand washing is so important.
• It’s okay to treat your cold symptoms. You might have heard that sneezing and coughing help your body to get rid of the virus. In reality, the cold virus is still reproducing within your cells. Also, by not sneezing and coughing, you are reducing the odds of spreading your cold to others nearby.

Americans will suffer approximately one billion colds this year. Now you know a little more about this very common, but very annoying, malady. If you’d rather do everything possible to help avoid getting sick, consider boosting your immune system with Wellmune WGP.

Each year, cold and flu are the leading causes of missed work days/school days. In this economy, making your dollar stretch to the end of the month is tough enough without having to miss work because you or your child are sick!

Holistic Pharmacist Sherry Torkos appeared on Channel 8’s Let’s Talk Live to reveal foods that can improve our immune systems. In this TV segment, she includes several child-friendly foods fortified with Wellmune WGP® including juices and healthy cookies.

Just as you might choose foods fortified with vitamins, you now have an option to choose foods for yourself and for your family fortified with this well-researched immune enhancing ingredient. Need on-the-go convenience? She also mentions supplement brands that contain Wellmune.

Thank you Better Nutrition for highlighting Wellmune WGP in your November 2011 issue. We were thrilled with this article, which focuses on natural ways to boost your immune system – just in time for cold and flu season. Wellmune WGP was the only ingredient mentioned by brand name.

This article mentions studies published in the Journal of Applied Research. One such randomized, placebo-controlled study, of 40 healthy adults over a 12-week period during cold and flu season, found that Wellmune WGP may reduce the severity of your cold and flu symptoms even if you do get sick. In this study, none of those in the Wellmune group missed work or school due to colds. Meanwhile, the people with colds in the placebo group missed an average of 1.38 days.

That’s the kind of welcome news we like to hear this time of year!