Chitosan for Weight Loss? Is it All Hype?

One of the most common problems people seek an answer for is the question of how to lose weight. In a world where super-sizes are the norm and exercise is what you do when you cross the room to turn on the television set, it's not surprising that people are quick to snatch up products that promise easy weight loss. One such product that's attracted attention is the use of chitosan for weight loss. Chitosan is a polysaccharide that's found naturally in the outer shell of shellfish such as crab and lobster. It's claimed that the chitosan found in these shellfish shells binds to fat so that it's not absorbed by the body Are these claims legitimate? Is there any evidence that chitosan for weight loss works?

Interestingly, a report recently released by the Marine Functional Foods Research Initiative sponsored by the Irish government suggests that chitosan for weight loss may be beneficial for controlling weight. A researcher studying chitosan believes that it blocks the transport of fats across cell membranes where they would otherwise be stored. They also claim that it reduces appetite.

Unfortunately, chitosan for weight loss is aggressively marketed by various online sites as being a weight loss miracle in a bottle with little evidence to support these overly inflated claims. An analysis published in the Cochrane Database, a reputable database focused on evidence based medicine, noted that there is some evidence that chitosan for weight loss is better than placebo, but emphasized that the results in trials have been mixed and that most of the studies showing positive results were poorly constructed. Better designed trials have shown that the effects of chitosin for weight loss are probably limited.

There may also be some risks to using chitosan for weight loss. If it truly blocks fat absorption, it could lead to malabsorption of the fat soluble vitamins which include vitamins A, D, E, and K, thereby increasing the risk of vitamin deficiencies. It could also decrease the absorption of some minerals. Other than these potential risks, the use of chitosan appears to be relatively safe unlike some diet supplements that increase the heart rate and blood pressure.

Chitosin for Weight Loss: The Bottom Line?

There doesn't appear to be strong evidence that chitosan for weight loss is effective despite the claims of online marketers. This report from the Marine Functional Foods Research does bear watching since it comes from a reputable source. Most likely if chitosan for weight loss is effective and can help to prevent weight gain; the effects aren't going to be dramatic. As always, exercise and a healthy eating plan are the best ways to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

References:

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Chitosan-marine-compound-claimed-to-remedy-obesity

http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab003892.html