Manufacturers of dietary supplements tout chitosan as a fat blocker that lets you eat fat without absorbing the calories. Unfortunately, these claims are unsubstantiated. In fact, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission won a $8.3 million judgment against a manufacturer of chitosan supplements with false weight loss claims on the label. Before you take chitosan for weight loss, consult your health professional to avoid adverse reactions.
Chitosan
Chitosan comes from the exoskeletons of shellfish and the cell walls of many yeast, fungi and molds. You can find chitosan in dietary supplements, some of which claim chitosan is a fat blocker that helps you lose weight. Agriculturally, farmers use chitosan to prevent fungal infections in crops and enhance growth. Wastewater treatment plants use chitosan to clean fat and grease from the water.
Weight Loss
A review of clinical trials by the University of Aukland and published in the February 2005 issue of the journal "Obesity Review" found chitosan unlikely to help you lose weight to a significant degree. The researchers examined 14 studies on 1,071 overweight or obese adults, some with high cholesterol, lasting at least four weeks. In each study, taking chitosan resulted in the subject's losing about 3.74 lb. Despite the weight loss results, researchers concluded the selected high-quality studies failed to prove chitosan produces more than minimal weight loss.
Fat Blocker
The ability of chitosan to block fat is clinically insignificant, according to a study by University of California, Davis, and published in the January 2005 issue of the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association." In the study, 12 men and 12 women took two capsules of chitosan before each of five meals per day, for a total of 2.5 g of chitosan per day. The fat increase in the men's fecal matter was about 2 g per day, and there was no increase in fat excretion for the women. The researchers concluded men would need to take this dose of chitosan for seven months to lose 1 lb.
Fat Excretion in Men
Chitosan has a negligible weight loss effect as a fat blocker, according to a study by the University of California, Davis and reported in the May 2003 issue of the journal "Obesity Research." In the study, 15 male subjects ate five meals a day containing an average of 26.3 g of fat and took 4.5 g of chitosan 30 minutes before eating for four days. The researchers found the subjects fecal fat excretion only increased by 1.1 g while taking chitosan.
References
- "Obesity Research"; Chitosan Supplementation and Fecal Fat Excretion In Men; M.D. Gades, et al.; May 2003
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Chitosan Supplementation and Fat Consumption in Men and Women; M.D. Gades, et al.; January 2005
- "Obesity Review"; Effect of Chitosan on Weight Loss in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials; C.M. Mhurchu, et al.; February 2005
- Vanderbilt University; Chitosan: The Promise of a Pill; Kate Benedict
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Chitosan: Poly-D-glucosamine (128930) Fact Sheet; June 2003
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