Chitosan
Chitosan is a polysaccharide located in the shells of crustaceans such as lobster, crayfish, shrimp and crab. It is reported to behave like dietary fibre, because it is not digestible but could have beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal tract.
Chitosan may help to improve
- Skin repair
- Weight Loss
- High Cholesterol
What are the Benefits?
Skin repair
According to WebMD In an effort to help “donor tissue” rebuild itself, plastic surgeons sometimes apply chitosan directly to places from which they have taken the tissue to be used elsewhere. (1)
Weight Loss
It is reported to prevent the body absorbing fats from food meaning they are excreted along with other undigested food matter. Therefore less fat should be absorbed which would help prevent weight gain. It can bind and precipitate fat in the intestines so that it is not absorbed.(2)
High Cholesterol
In preventing the body from absorbing fat it should help prevent cholesterol problems, as it is the processing of dietary fats that is a major factor leading to higher cholesterol, which in turn could improve heart health.
Chitosan synergy and works well with
- Green Tea to help with weight loss by increasing body’s metabolic rate
- Acai Berry which protects the body from harmful toxins and helping to maintain healthy circulation
- Soya Lecithin used for lowering cholesterol levels.
Some things to consider
Not suitable for anyone who has a shellfish allergy and is not a substitute for eating sensible levels of fats in the diet.
Speak to a doctor before taking any kind of supplement especially if you are pregnant have illnesses or are on medication or the pill because certain medications including some types of contraceptive pill are fat-soluble and may not be absorbed by the body.
“Chitosan may prevent the body from absorbing certain fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamin A, D, E and K but also phytochemicals”, says Shelley Moore from Livestrong. (3)
Resources
Last accessed online 16/04/2020
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-625/chitosan
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4557018/
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/225178-what-is-chitosan-used-for/
