How much Active Linkage is in your Beta Glucan?

These are two, 500 mg doses of Beta 1,3/1,6 Glucan. They are being marketed based on Active Linkage.

The larger of the caplets is sold by a retailer claiming his product contains 97% Active Linkage. The second caplet claims 88% Active Linkage and sells for $15 more per bottle. The correct choice between these two products appears to be clear, but is it?

The larger 500 mg caplet has been "overfilled".

Its actual weight is not 500 mg, but is 700 mg, and this is why it is larger. The actual 1,3/1,6 Active Linkage of the tan powder inside the caplet is 70%.

The claim of 97% Active 1,3/1,6 Linkage is obtained by multiplying 700 mg (its actual weight) times 70% (the actual purity), which equals 490 mg of Active 1,3/1,6 Linkage. He then takes the stated dose of 500 mg and compares it to the 490 mg of 1,3/1,6 Linkage in the caplet to generate the "claim" of 97% Active Linkage. The claim is impressive, but will not impress your immune system. You are GUARANTEED that any product that has actual Active Linkage of 85% will provide a detailed supplement facts panel for your review.

Overfilling the caplet does not change the fact the actual Active 1,3/1,6 Linkage of the product is still 70%. You think you are buying the "best", yet you end up with a 70% product, with no published proof it will work. Overfilling is a trick used to distort a product's effectiveness.

Since overfilling is common, a statement about Active Linkage is only valid if it is based on a "Dry Weight Basis", not on "stated dose".   The second caplet 's Active Linkage is based on Dry Weight, and is, in fact, an 88% Active 1/3,1/6 Linkage product.

A claim of high purity means nothing unless it can be backed-up with real proof.