Chitosan and Weight Loss


by Kathryn Lively - Date: 2007-01-03 - Word Count: 332 Share This!

Take a tour of the diet supplement shelf of your local drugstore, and you are bound to expand your vocabulary. The ingredients found in some weight loss pills may be a mouthful to pronounce, but some do have healthful properties that, when taken correctly, can contribute to burning fat.

Chitosan is a word you might see on some labels. It may sound like a Japanese drink or an ethnic dessert, but it is actually an important component to a number of dietary products. Chitosan is an extract of chitin, and is a starch found mainly in shellfish like shrimp and crab. The protein material Chitin contributes to building the hard exteriors of these creatures. Chitin is also known to be found in the protective shells of certain insects and in mushrooms.

However, it is the chitin produced in shellfish that can contribute to weight loss. When the chitosan is isolated for the purpose of weight loss, it is capable of binding fat molecules in the body before they are completely stored. In addition, taking chitosan may help inhibit low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which can accumulate in the arteries and cause circulation problems if not treated properly.

Chitosan may be found more prominently in dietary supplements specifically designed to block or burn carbohydrates. If your weight gain is attributed to a diet unbalanced by too many starchy foods, a dosage of chitosan thirty minutes before a meal may help control the amount of carbs that turn into fat as you eat. This, in turn, may train your body to accept fewer starchy foods while you concentrate on eating better.

One caveat to chitosan is that it is not recommended for people who suffer allergic reactions to shellfish. If you are allergic to crab and shrimp, avoid any supplements with chitosan or chitin. Regardless, everybody should consult with a physician before taking any kind of diet pill to lose weight. Knowing what each ingredient does is a good start to making sure your weight loss is effective and safe.


Related Tags: weight loss, supplements, diet, dieting, support, pills, chitosan

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