Chitosan, A High Fibre Nutrient
Updated Feb. 06th, 2024 | Read Time: 2 Minutes | What You Will Learn:
- Key Health Benefits of Chitosan
- High In Fibre
- Weight Loss and Exercise Boosting
- Research on Chitosan
- How To Take Chitosan
Chitosan is a dietary fibre derived from chitin, which is the molecule that forms the outer shells of crustaceans (shellfish). The structure of this nutrient is made of N-acetylglucosamine (NAG), bound to glucosamine.
Interestingly, chitosan, which is also known as “polyglucosamine” (PG), has not been shown to have the same medicinal benefits as its subunits. Instead, it is an excellent source of dietary fibre with the ability to help promote weight loss and lower high cholesterol levels.
Key Health Benefits of Chitosan
High In Fibre
This source of dietary fibre that can help aid digestion. Thus, it can help to stabilize blood sugar levels, reduce cholesterol help to normalize digestive function and maintain a feeling of fullness after eating. Research has shown that taking this supplement for longer than 4 weeks can reduce total cholesterol in those with high cholesterol by up to 6 points.
Weight Loss and Exercise Boosting
This supplement has been found to help weight loss, particularly when combined with a healthy diet. In one study, supplementing with this nutrient promoted an additional 1.7kg (3.75lb) weight loss in one month when combined with dietary changes. Another study found that when it was combined with increased exercise, it increased the weight loss effects of that exercise and helped to reduce Metabolic Syndrome in moderately overweight patients. Some test-tube experiments have shown that chitosan can bind fat in the intestinal tract and help prevent their absorption without preventing the absorption of other nutrients. These research studies were short-term, and the longer-term effects were found to level out over time. Because of this, chitosan is useful in short-term weight loss only.
Research on Chitosan
Interestingly, current research has begun using chitosan as a binding agent that aids in the proper delivery of certain medications. Because this nutrient is not water-soluble but is quickly soluble in acids, such as stomach acid or bile acids, it can help regulate the delivery of medication in the digestive tract. Research is ongoing on using chitosan for this purpose.
How To Take Chitosan
Chitosan can be taken as a powder or in capsules. To promote weight loss and lower cholesterol, the dose in the research is between 1 and 4.5g daily. In general, it is recommended that chitosan be taken at a dose of 1000 to 1500mg three times daily with meals.
