Al Bala Reveals the Revolutionary Science of Glycans and Cellular Health

Nutrition expert Al Bala, with 45 years of experience starting at Amway with NutriLite—the first commercialized vitamins in America since 1939—introduces the emerging science of glycobiology and its connection to Mannatech products. Bala explains that glycans, eight essential sugars governing cell-to-cell communication, remained largely unknown until Harper's Biochemistry published findings in 1994. Mannatech's chief science officer discovered mannose, the active molecule in aloe vera, leading to the company's name and mission to commercialize these crucial sugars. With over $5 billion in sales over 30 years and customers averaging 9.7 years of continuous use—with over 300 people taking products consistently for the entire 30-year history—Bala argues that glycans represent the body's "operating system," telling cells how to use vitamins and minerals effectively.