Zoom

Chitosan

What Is Chitosan?

Every dieter’s dream is to be able to eat whatever they want and still lose weight, right?  You still want your hamburgers and french fries with that giant vanilla shake.  But you also want to fit into skinny jeans or look good on the beach.  By including Chitosan in a diet pill you are supposed to be able to achieve just that.

Chitosan comes from the shells of crustaceans.  When using a diet pill with Chitosan it is supposed to absorb all the fat out of your diet so you do not absorb a bunch of excess calories.  By doing so you will be able to shed pounds effortlessly.  But too many people use a diet pill with ingredients like Chitosan and take it too far.  Chitosan does not give you license to eat anything and everything you see.  To be successful you will still have to limit the fat you consume and participate in regular exercise.

How Does Chitosan Work?

To be effective, Chitosan binds to fat from your diet.  It then travels through your digestive system but cannot be absorbed by your body so it does no harm to your diet.  Chitosan has been shown to work in animals but making the leap from animals to humans may not give you the complete results you are hoping for.

Chitosan comes from the shells of lobsters, crabs, and shrimp.  These shells are ground into a fine powder and then the Chitosan is extracted.  When it is added to a diet pill it can bind fat, carbohydrates, and sugars so that they are passed through the body without and adverse effects.  Of course, diet pills like Alli have been said to send these components straight through your body and they come with some pretty embarrassing side effects.  Is Chitosan safe to use or does it cause those same side effects?

Chitosan Side Effects

Chitosan works in ways similar to fiber.  Fiber absorbs water and can therefore help you to maintain a greater feeling of fullness.  Chitosan absorbs these fats, carbs, and sugars to prevent them from damaging the diet.  But unlike many ingredients that may cause side effects, Chitosan has not been shown to cause many problems.  If you are allergic to shellfish it is important that you avoid using Chitosan because it may cause an allergic reaction.  One reason that side effects may not be regularly observed with Chitosan is because it has not been extensively researched.

Chitosan Research

Research regarding Chitosan seems to be inconclusive.  Some studies have shown that cholesterol levels have decreased after using Chitosan and users may have been able to see their blood pressure levels decrease as well.  There are other studies, however, which have shown few results by those using Chitosan.  A study published in Cochrane Library showed that users of Chitosan lost four pounds more than those using a placebo.

Chitosan Conclusion

Used alone Chitosan may not produce complete weight loss benefits.  However, it is a good addition to a diet pill since it can encourage fat loss.  When Chitosan is used with other clinically proven weight loss products you would almost have to work not to see results.  Below are some of the top diet pills which use Chitosan.

Dieters Cheating Caps