Effects of β-glucans on fatigue: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Several clinical trials suggest that β-glucans may reduce feelings of fatigue, however the results of clinical trials are inconsistent. Additionally, no systematic reviews or meta-analyses have assessed the effects of β-glucans on fatigue. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of β-glucans on fatigue in healthy subjects through a systematic review and meta-analysis. PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched from database inception to March 15, 2024. The inclusion criterion was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating the effects of β-glucans on healthy subjects' fatigue, vigor, and mood state. To assess risk of bias, we employed the Cochrane risk of bias tool. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted for the standardized mean difference (SMD). Sixteen RCTs with a total of 1,449 participants were included, and 12 studies provided data suitable for meta-analysis. Meta-analysis revealed that β-glucans significantly reduced feelings of fatigue (SMD = -0.32, 95% CI = -0.53 to -0.12; p = 0.0021), increased vigor (SMD = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.26-0.66; p < 0.0001), and improved mood state (SMD = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.11-0.53; p = 0.0026) compared to the placebo group. The results of the systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that β-glucans may be effective in reducing feelings of fatigue in healthy individuals. However, the number of studies included is insufficient, suggesting that further clinical trials are needed to validate this effect.