Most of us are not aware of the health benefits of brewer’s yeast. What is brewer’s yeast anyways? Brewers yeast is made from a fungus called Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is typically used in beer making, but there is a nutritional supplement of Brewer’s yeast as well. The deactivated yeast that is found in supplements can be purchased in flake, powder, tablet, and liquid forms. For more details on the different kinds of yeast, click here. The yeast supplement is rich in chromium (one of the highest sources), selenium, zinc, protein and most of the B vitamins, and some, not all contain B12. It is notably low in fat and sodium as well.
There is some research available on brewer’s yeast, but many people like it for various reasons. The following are possible uses for the brewer’s yeast that have been reported in various testimonials and research:
- Tremors
- Protein supplement
- Morning Sickness
- Milk production in new moms (Also: Moringa)
- Cholesterol levels
- Blood sugar (Also: Moringa)
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – 5
- Allergic rhinitis – 15
- Energy boost
- Colitis
- Immune enhancer (Also: Cod Liver Oil***)
- Post surgical infections
- Respiratory infections – 500 mg daily has been used in clinical trials over 12 weeks to treat respiratory infections. 9
- Acute diarrhea – 500 mg daily of brewer’s yeast was recommended in the German Commission E Monographs . 1
- Anxiety/Depression- “Improved depression scores have been demonstrated after 2 weeks among healthy volunteers using 200 and 500 mg doses of yeast hydrolysate as a gum. Brain mapping after 3 days showed a profile of a stable psychological state.” 3 Also see this study on Chromium which is in Brewer’s Yeast and is one of the best nutritional sources for it. Low levels of B6 is also associated with depression. See this study and this site. I’ve also written another post on 5 Ways to Treat Depression Naturally that you might want to check out.
- Flee and tick treatment for dogs
- Psoriasis (Also: Cod Liver Oil)
- Scleroderma
- Liver cancer
- PMS
So how do I use it? How about putting a teaspoon or so into a smoothie, yogurt, oatmeal, or maybe even cookies or my very own protein balls? Start off with a small amount, maybe around 1/4 teaspoon to test to see if your body likes it. If you are not use to Brewer’s yeast, a large serving may cause nausea or diarrhea, so increase as directed slowly. Brewer’s Yeast powder can be introduced to a baby after 6 months of age if there is no intolerance. Here is the brewer’s yeast that I buy.
Finally, you may want to check out my post entitled My Natural Medicine Cabinet. Have a wonderful day 🙂
Contraindications for Brewer’s Yeast:
Crohn disease; concomitant monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) therapy. Taking brewer’s yeast while taking Demerol may cause hypertensive crisis. Medications for Diabetes — Brewer’s yeast may lower blood sugar levels. When combined with diabetes medications, taking brewer’s yeast could raise the risk of having low blood sugar. If you take medications for diabetes, ask your health care provider before taking brewer’s yeast.
**Brewer’s yeast contains gluten.
*** You should test ferritin (iron) levels if you are taking Cod Liver Oil over one month for iron overload.
I take blood pressure pills and 5mg valium (would like to get off). Can I take brewers yeast, and which one would you recommend? Thank you..June
Hi June, I cannot give you any professional medical advice, so it would be best to see your doctor. The brewer’s yeast that I use in my daily smoothie is from TwinLabs. Thanks for writing in. I wish you much health.