Chitosan is often called a substance of the XXI century, as it is studied in detail in many countries of the world. International societies are constantly emerging to study it, major conferences are held on its role in human life.
Areas of its application are more than 70. It is used as an anti-tumor agent, a hemostatic agent, for protecting plants from mold and microbes, manufacturing of water filters, and packaging for long-term storage of food products. This list can be continued endlessly. But how effective is it for weight loss? After all, the number of dietary supplements (DS) based on it that promise quick weight loss increases every day.
What it is
Many people wonder what chitosan is: it is an unusual word that is rarely heard in everyday life, and most do not know its meaning. That is why a healthy interest arises when someone unexpectedly offers to try a drug based on it for weight loss. Is it worth doing, or is it just another bubble on the dietary supplement market that promises «minus 25 kg per month»?
From a chemical point of view, chitosan is a polysaccharide (amino sugar), a complex carbohydrate. It is extracted from chitin, the main component of the exoskeleton (shell) of arthropods and other invertebrates, as well as the cell wall of some fungi.
The main function is deep purification:
- contains a large number of free amino groups – blocks and holds ions of radioactive isotopes;
- forms branched, hydrogen bonds – captures and removes toxins from the digestive tract;
- enters into multiple hydrophobic interactions – absorbs hydrocarbons and fats.
It is widely used in various fields – agriculture, food industry, cosmetology, pharmaceuticals (mainly for encapsulation). Recently, a huge number of dietary supplements for weight loss and common sports nutrition based on it have appeared on the market.
Origin of the name. The word «chitin» has Greek roots and comes from «chiton», which translates as «clothing».
Brief overview
When deciding to use chitosan for weight loss, it is useful to get to know it better – to understand what kind of substance it is.
Names: Chitosan, Hitosan.
Chemical names: β-(1,4)-2-amino-2-deoxyD-glucose, poly-D-glucosamine, poly-N-acetylD-glucosamine.
Chemical formula: C56H103N9O39.
Structural formula:
The main purpose:
- cleansing the body of toxins and slags;
- weight loss due to the ability to bind fat molecules in the digestive tract and remove them.
Chemical properties:
- free-flowing powder;
- from white to dark yellow;
- odorless;
- practically insoluble in water;
- completely soluble in acetic, citric, amber, and oxalic acids.
Release forms:
- tablets;
- capsules;
- drinks;
- concentrates.
Production features:
- not a drug – it is a dietary supplement;
- meets all the requirements of the Technical Regulations for products subject to sanitary and epidemiological supervision;
- during testing meets the requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia;
- safe if you strictly follow the instructions for use;
- does not contain GMOs.
Main sources:
- zygomycetes, aspergilli, penicilli, etc.;
- yeast;
- shells of crustaceans: crabs, shrimps, lobsters;
- integument, wings of insects: Colorado and Maybug beetles, stag beetle, ground beetles, cicadas, etc.
There are more than 15 methods of extracting chitosan from crustacean shells, but they are all quite expensive. Therefore, today scientists are trying to obtain it synthetically in laboratory conditions. But for now, the cuticle covering the body of insects is mainly used.
A bit of everything. In Japan, chitin is used as the best filter for water purification for industrial and domestic purposes.
Benefits
Let’s take a closer look at why chitosan is used in medicine and sports nutrition in order to doubly benefit from taking supplements based on it.
Health benefits:
- reduces uric acid;
- improves immunity;
- reduces the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood;
- improves the absorption of calcium from food;
- normalizes blood sugar;
- has antifungal and antibacterial effects;
- eliminates problems with digestion;
- binds and removes toxins from the body.
Benefits for weight loss:
- helps cleanse the body;
- binds fat molecules in the digestive tract, preventing their absorption into the blood;
- improves cholesterol metabolism;
- activates intestinal peristalsis, providing a mild laxative effect;
- speeds up metabolism;
- creates a long-lasting feeling of fullness (similar to microcrystalline cellulose).
This information is enough to start using chitosan for weight loss. However, in 2008, British scientists conducted a large-scale study, the results of which, in this regard, were far from encouraging.
The studies had different durations – from 4 months to 2 years. In total, about 1220 people took part in them. The results showed that drugs based on this substance do indeed help to reduce body weight. However, the weight loss in all cases was minimal. Consequently, they are definitely not effective in combating obesity.
Benefits for sports:
- improves metabolism;
- is a fat burner;
- used in bodybuilding to dry the body;
- has a restorative effect, improving physical performance.
It is unlikely that chitosan will become an effective and powerful fat burner in bodybuilding for body drying. But you should not completely dismiss it because of this. Athletes who train very hard all the time and constantly take amino acids should periodically drink supplements with this substance to normalize digestion. And they prove to be good as fortifying complexes.
Often, athletes prefer chitosan supplements not because of their fat-burning properties. They allow them to eat fatty and carbohydrate foods necessary to replenish energy during training and not lose muscle mass. After all, all the substances harmful to the body are bound and removed from the body.
Pages of history. Pure chitosan was first isolated in 1859 by Professor C. Rouget from shrimp and crab shells. The term itself was introduced only in 1894 by the German physician, chemist and physiologist Felix Hoppe-Seyler. Due to the complexity of its extraction, interest in the substance was revived only in the middle of the XX century.
Possible risks
One of the undoubted advantages of chitosan can be considered the minimal risk of harm to the human body. It is possible only if contraindications and instructions for use are not taken into account.
Contraindications:
- intolerance to the components;
- pregnancy;
- lactation;
- childhood (different manufacturers indicate different age restrictions for their drug – up to 3,
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