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Home , Baker, Saccharomyces, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Yeast

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Brewer’s/’s ( Cerevisiae) And Preventive Medicine: Part I Mark A. Moyad

east has been used in the Yeast is the term generally applied to a unicellular , and there preparation of various are hundreds of now identified. One of the most notable and foods and beverages for well-known species of yeast in health and wellness is known as as long as there has been , which is also known by its more common Yrecorded history on leavened names, brewer’s yeast or baker’s yeast. It is usually grown on or and . However, it was another substrate similar to the plant utilized in the beer-making only in the 1800s, primarily from industry, after which it is harvested and killed. The final product is research by Pasteur, that some of generally half composed of , as well as a large amount of B its components were better char- and minerals, and depending on the technology, a diverse acterized (Davidson, 1999). Yeast is a single-celled fungus, number of other healthy compounds. Typically, brewer’s yeast is and hundreds of species have used as a protein supplement, energy booster, immune enhancer, or been identified. The yeast organ- other vehicle where other compounds can be inserted to create a isms of the genera Saccharomyces commercialized health product. A more extensive review of the pre- and have been the most ventive medical aspects of yeast will be covered in Part 2 of this arti- useful. These single-cell organ- cle to be published in a future issue of Urologic Nursing.Yeast-based isms are so small that hundreds of technology is also being used as a molecular mechanistic model of millions could fit in one teaspoon. caloric restriction with the goal of improving the human span.The Green plants feed via photosyn- current and potential impact of yeast-based technology in medicine thesis, but yeast consume carbo- is encouraging. hydrates and other potential nutri- ents, and can excrete . Essentially, yeast breathe air and exhale (Davidson, Yeast cannot survive in tempera- intake (Mortimer & Johnston, 1999). tures higher than 60O C/140O F 1959; Piskur, Rozpedowska, Yeast can be (Davidson, 1999). Polakova, Merico, & Compaqno, accomplished in different ways, Yeast are malleable and 2006; Russo, Berkovitz Siman- some through a process of adaptable to their environment Tov, & Poli, 1995). or budding (known as “vegeta- despite being simplistic in anato- tive”), and others involve a sexu- my, and yeast operate differently Brewer’s/Baker’s Yeast al or more diploid method of when making bread or (Saccharomyces Cerevisiae) replicating. Yeast are inactive in . Replete amount of air and Saccharomyces cerevisiae is freezing temperature, grow slow- some food allow yeast to grow one of the most notable forms of ly at cold temperatures and quickly in the , and yeast and is known more com- steadily at moderate-to-warm produce large concentrations of monly as baker’s or brewer’s temperatures (24O C/80O F), and carbon dioxide. This gas pressure yeast. For this reason, the nexus without restraint at 38O C/100O F. causes dough to rise, and alcohol between and brewing is a minimal by-product. How- industry used to be well-known. ever, in a basic A model of a combined bake- Mark A. Moyad, MD, MPH, is the housing unit where there is house and brewhouse from an Jenkins/Pokempner Director of Pre- almost no air but higher concen- Egyptian tomb dated 2000 B.C. ventive and Alternative Medicine, trations of available , yeast can be observed in the British University of Michigan Medical Center, switch to a different mode of sur- Historical Museum. However, the Department of Urology, Ann Arbor, MI. vival and production by breath- specific form of yeast is not often Dr. Moyad is a research consultant for ing minimally and producing used currently for baking and NBTY and Embria Health Sciences. mainly alcohol from their sugar brewing. Regardless, this type of

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yeast has been used to produce tive medical aspects of yeast will References items such as bourbon whiskey, be covered in Part 2, which will be Clark, L.C., Combs, G.F., Jr., Turnbull, B.W., Slate, E.H., Chalker, D.K., apple , and a fermented rice published in a future issue of Chow, J., et al. (1996). Effects of sele- beverage, commonly known as Urologic Nursing. nium supplementation for “sake” (Davidson, 1999). A large randomized trial of prevention in patients with carcino- There are many different cancer prevention that elicited pos- ma of the skin. A randomized con- strains of Saccharomyces cere- itive results used a brewer’s yeast trolled trial. Nutritional Prevention of Cancer Study Group. JAMA, visiae that have evolved or been product (500 mg) daily that con- 276(24), 1957-1963. identified, and those that are used tained 200 mcg per selenium com- Davidson, A. (1999). The Oxford compan- for are currently different pared to and found a to food (1st ed.) (pp. 855-858). from those used in brewing, and potentially lower risk of several New York: Oxford University Press Press, Inc. are thus cultured on different , including prostate cancer Dilova, I., Easlon, E., & Lin, S.J. (2007). substrates. The different species (Clark et al., 1996). Another notable Caloric restriction and the and strains also differ in ways example was the recent encourag- sensing signaling pathways. Cell and that impact . The ing result of a modified yeast-based Molecular Life Sciences, 64(6), 752- produced by the yeast are product EpiCor™ (Embria Health 767. Gershon, H., & Gershon, D. (2000). The involved in complex chemical Sciences, Ankeny, IA) to reduce budding yeast, Saccharomyces cere- reactions during fermentation cold and flu incidence in patients visiae, as a model for aging research: and include not only the forma- who have kept their up to A critical review. Mechanisms of tion of different , but also date. Another recent manipulated and Development, 120(1-3), 1-22. organic acids and , which product may simultaneously im- Jazwinski, S.M. (1990). Aging and senes- impacts flavor and varies from prove immune and bone health. cence of the budding yeast to strain (Mortimer & Yeast-based technology is also Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Molecular Johnston, 1959; Piskur et al,, being used as a molecular mecha- , 4(3), 337-343. 2006; Russo et al., 1995). nistic model of caloric restriction Mortimer, R.K., & Johnston, J.R. (1959). Life span of individual yeast cells. In addition to fermenting and with the ultimate goal of improving , 183(4677), 1751-1752. flavoring other foods, yeast may the human life span (Dilova, Piskur, J., Rozpedowska, E., Polakova, S., be utilized as food. They contain Easlon, & Lin, 2007; Gershon & Merico, A., & Compaqno, C. (2006). a good concentration of protein as Gershon, 2000; Jazwinski, 1990). How did Saccharomyces evolve to become a good brewer? Trends in well as most of the B-complex The current and potential impact of , 22(4), 183-186. vitamins, with the exception of yeast-based technology in medi- Russo, S., Berkovitz Siman-Tov, R., & Poli, B-12. Further, while cine is encouraging and should G. (1995). Yeast: From genetics to yeast are widely used as dietary receive more attention. • . Journal of Environ- supplements in countries whose mental Pathology Toxicology and Oncology, 14(3-4), 133-157. diets are protein deficient, they are gaining more attention as immune maintenance products in well-developed countries. Currently, yeast is being con- sumed in a variety of animals and humans with minimal adverse effects. The recommended feed- ing levels of yeast for food-pro- ducing animals are 8 mg/kg body weight/day for cattle and horses, 14.4 mg/kg body weight/day for swine, and 18.4 mg/kg body weight/day for poultry (Davidson, 1999; Mortimer & Johnston, 1959; Piskur et al., 2006; Russo et al., 1995). Conclusion Generally, brewer’s yeast is used as a protein supplement, energy booster, immune enhancer, and a vehicle whereby other com- pounds can be inserted to create a commercialized product that could improve several aspects of preventive medicine. A more extensive review of these preven-

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