# The Performance of Pleurotus eryngii β-Glucans on Protein Digestion and the Release of Free Amino Acids in the Bloodstream of Obese Adults

## TL;DR

This study shows that β-glucans from Pleurotus eryngii mushrooms may reduce the release of certain amino acids into the blood after meals in obese adults.

## Contribution

The novel finding is that P. eryngii β-glucans modulate postprandial release of aromatic amino acids in obese individuals.

## Key findings

- Consuming P. eryngii reduced the area under the curve for aromatic amino acids like phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan.
- The effect was observed in the postprandial state of individuals with central obesity and metabolic abnormalities.
- Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry confirmed differences in free amino acid levels between meals.

## Abstract

Pleurotus eryngii is an edible mushroom with previously characterized β-glucans. Its potential to ameliorate postprandial glycemia and regulate appetite at the postprandial state has been previously shown. However, its effect on protein digestion remains unexplored. We aimed to investigate the effect of baked P. eryngii with a known β-glucan content (4.5 g) on plasma free amino acids of patients with central obesity and metabolic abnormalities at a postprandial state. In this acute, randomized controlled cross-over study, thirteen healthy male volunteers consumed one meal that was prepared with P. eryngii and one control meal; each meal was separated by one month. Blood was collected, and plasma was isolated at different timepoints before and after the consumption. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to quantify 24 free amino acids in the plasma samples. The area under the curve with respect to increase (AUCi) was computed, and the AUCi for aromatic amino acids was found to be higher after the consumption of the control meal compared to the P. eryngii meal (p = 0.027 for phenylalanine, p = 0.008 for tyrosine, and p = 0.003 for tryptophan). The above novel findings suggest that the β-glucans present in P. eryngii mushrooms are potential modulators of AA release into the bloodstream.