Key Ingredients
Beta-Glucans for Horses
What that ‘25% min.’ on the label means.
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Look at the active ingredients panel on an ImmuBiome tub and you’ll see a line for 1,3-1,6 beta-glucan, usually "25% min." Most owners skip right past it, but it’s a number we care a lot about. Here’s what it means and why the type matters as much as the amount.
Key points
- Beta-glucans are branched sugar chains found in the cell walls of mushrooms and yeast.
- Their 1,3/1,6 shape is what immune cells along your horse's gut wall recognize.
- They support natural defenses and normal immune function, and hindgut bacteria ferment them too.
- Most of our formulas carry at least 25%, and every ImmuBiome label lists its minimum.
A sugar chain with a particular shape
Beta-glucans are polysaccharides, long chains of glucose units. They’re a structural part of the cell walls of mushrooms and yeast, and of some plants and seaweeds.
The numbers describe the build. In mushroom and yeast beta-glucans, a 1,3-linked backbone carries short 1,6-linked side branches, and that branched shape is what the immune system recognizes. Plant beta-glucans are built differently and behave more like ordinary fiber.
“With the lack of rain the dust has been awful and my 5 year old started coughing. Since starting ImmuBiome Breathe, his breathing is normal and not a single cough. Working great and he doesn’t mind the taste.”
How beta-glucans meet the immune system
Your horse can’t digest beta-glucans for energy, so they travel along the gut largely intact, past the lining and the immune tissue right behind it.
- Some immune cells there carry receptors that recognize the 1,3/1,6 shape.
- Specialized cells in the lining sample particles from the gut and pass them to the immune tissue underneath.
- Through that contact, beta-glucans support the body’s natural defenses and normal immune function.
- Hindgut bacteria can ferment them too, so they double as a prebiotic. See prebiotics and probiotics.
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Mushroom and yeast beta-glucans
Size, branching and how they’re extracted all change how beta-glucans behave, which is why we use two sources.
- Mushroom beta-glucans vary by species and often come bundled with other polysaccharides. Every ImmuBiome formula contains mushrooms, and six of them carry Lion’s Mane.
- Yeast beta-glucans come from the cell walls of baker’s yeast and are among the most researched in animal nutrition. G-Tract and Immune include yeast alongside their mushrooms.
Beta-glucan supplements: how much is in each formula
We list a minimum because natural ingredients vary a little from batch to batch, and we’d rather promise a floor than an average.
- 25% minimum: G-Tract, Immune, Breathe, Energy, Focus, Joint & Recovery, Spine & Nerve and Strength & Stamina
- 15% minimum: Super Concentrate and Nerve Boost
- 10% minimum: Lean Muscle, which is built around colostrum instead
Consistent daily feeding over weeks counts for more than a big amount now and then. If your horse has an ongoing health concern, talk with your vet about how our formulas fit his overall plan.
Our highest beta-glucan formulas
ImmuBiome Immune brings both mushroom and yeast beta-glucans, at a 25% minimum, with Turkey Tail, Lion’s Mane, colostrum and probiotics for everyday immune support. ImmuBiome Breathe hits the same 25% floor using a different trio, Cordyceps, Reishi and Chaga, for horses who need help with healthy airways in dusty or pollen-heavy months. The rest of the 25% list, from Joint & Recovery to Strength & Stamina, meets that same floor.
Related pages
Beta-glucan questions
Are beta-glucans just another kind of fiber?
They’re a type of fiber, but the 1,3/1,6 beta-glucans from mushrooms and yeast have a branched shape that immune cells recognize. Most other fibers don’t interact with the immune system that way.
What does 1,3/1,6 mean on the label?
It describes how the glucose units are linked: a 1,3 backbone with 1,6 side branches. That’s the structure found in mushroom and yeast beta-glucans.
Why is the beta-glucan amount listed as a minimum?
Natural ingredients vary slightly from batch to batch. Listing a minimum means every batch meets at least that level.
Is there a difference between mushroom and yeast beta-glucans?
Yes. Yeast beta-glucans are fairly uniform. Mushroom beta-glucans vary by species and often come with other polysaccharides. Using both gives a broader mix.
Do horses get beta-glucans from hay?
Not the 1,3/1,6 kind. Forage contains plenty of fiber, but the beta-glucans immune cells recognize come mainly from mushrooms and yeast. That’s why every ImmuBiome formula includes mushrooms.
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Every formula ships free on subscription, and you can return any tub within 30 days, even opened.
Immune
4.94 (530)
From $69
25% minimum beta-glucans from Turkey Tail, Lion’s Mane and yeast, with colostrum and probiotics.
Breathe
4.91 (545)
From $69
25% minimum beta-glucans from Cordyceps, Reishi and Chaga for healthy airways.
More ImmuBiome formulas
Spine & Nerve
4.9 (1275)
From $69
Lion’s Mane plus five more mushrooms for daily spine and nerve support.
Strength & Stamina
4.96 (358)
From $69
Cordyceps, King Trumpet and colostrum for hooves, coat and stamina.
Keep reading
Horse Immune System: A Practical Owner Guide
Read the article
Inside the Horse Gut: A Clear Owner Tour
Read the articleThis page is for general information and isn’t a substitute for advice from your veterinarian. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
