Brewer's Yeast
Brewer's yeast provides B-vitamins and other nutrients. Clinical evidence for specific therapeutic uses is limited.
Overview
What is brewer's yeast?
Brewer's yeast is a nutritional supplement and food additive that is a source of B vitamins, chromium, selenium and fiber.
Dosage
A typical dose of brewer's yeast is 500–1000 mg per day.
Effect graph
Effect heatmap
SupplementDEX Database
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Database Snapshot
Most brewer's yeast research is concentrated in a handful of conditions.
- Irritable bowel syndrome accounts for 3 of 8 studies (38%).
- Influenza accounts for 2 of 8 studies (25%).
- Allergic rhinitis accounts for 1 of 8 studies (13%).
- Sparse coverage remains for Influenza, Allergic rhinitis, High cholesterol.
Safety
A dose of 500–1000 mg per day is safe for most people.
Frequently Asked Questions
References
Sources8 references
SupplementDEX uses only high-quality sources to determine supplement effectiveness.
1.SupplementDEX Database: Irritable bowel syndrome — Anaphylaxis to a particular brew of beer due to specific strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae2022
A case report describes anaphylaxis triggered by beer containing specific Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, highlighting potential yeast strain–specific allergic reactions rather than therapeutic effects.
2.SupplementDEX Database: Irritable bowel syndrome — Efficacy of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 as an add-on therapy for irritable bowel syndrome2020
In 100 newly diagnosed IBS patients treated 8 weeks, Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 (2 billion CFU twice daily) significantly reduced abdominal pain and improved stool consistency versus placebo across IBS subtypes.
3.SupplementDEX Database: Irritable bowel syndrome — Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 in irritable bowel syndrome: An individual subject meta-analysis2017
An individual patient data meta-analysis of 579 IBS patients found S. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 reduced abdominal pain/discomfort by 12.3% and bloating by 14.9% versus placebo during the second month of supplementation.
SupplementDEX Database · Allergic rhinitis
1 reference4.SupplementDEX Database: Allergic rhinitis — Immunogenic yeast-based fermentation product reduces allergic rhinitis-induced nasal congestion: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial2009
In 96 healthy adults with allergic rhinitis over 12 weeks, 500 mg/day EpiCor yeast fermentate significantly reduced nasal congestion (P=0.04) and rhinorrhea (P=0.005) during peak pollen season versus placebo.
SupplementDEX Database · High cholesterol
1 reference5.SupplementDEX Database: High cholesterol — Effect of high-chromium brewer's yeast on human serum lipids1982
In normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic adults, high-chromium brewer's yeast (48 μg/day chromium) for 8 weeks lowered total cholesterol by 24–26 mg/dl and raised HDL by 5–6 mg/dl; 84% of subjects showed a lower total cholesterol/HDL ratio.
SupplementDEX Database · Influenza
2 references6.SupplementDEX Database: Influenza — Immunogenic yeast-based fermentate for cold/flu-like symptoms in nonvaccinated individuals2010
In 116 nonvaccinated adults over 12 weeks, 500 mg/day EpiCor yeast fermentate significantly reduced cold and flu-like illness incidence (p=0.01) versus placebo, with a favorable safety profile.
7.SupplementDEX Database: Influenza — Effects of a modified yeast supplement on cold/flu symptoms2008
In 116 healthy adults over 12 weeks (many recently vaccinated for influenza), 500 mg/day EpiCor significantly reduced cold/flu symptom frequency and duration compared with placebo.
8.SupplementDEX Database: Premenstrual syndrome — Effects of a yeast-based dietary supplementation on premenstrual syndrome: a double-blind placebo-controlled study1997
In 40 women with premenstrual syndrome over 6 months, the yeast-based Sillix Donna supplement reduced premenstrual distress questionnaire scores to 18% of baseline versus 73% on placebo (p<0.05).