Chitin and chitosan ("chitinosans") are calorie-free,
animal-derived fiber supplements that mostly pass through the body without being digested.
Chitinosans are widely taken and promoted for their presumed orlistat-like
fat-denying approach to weight loss, although government regulators hotly dispute their
effectiveness. While studies suggest that, at best, chitinosans' fat-binding effects are
less dramatic compared to orlistat, natural practitioners note that the supplement
compares favorably in terms of factors such as side effects, cost, and availability.
Chitinosans may also offer added health benefits, such as improving blood cholesterol
profiles.
- Chitinosans are made up of large, complex
polysaccharide molecules. They carry a strong positive charge that allows them to
chemically bond with certain compounds. This binding
action had drawn the interest of numerous industries, ranging from food and cosmetics
(chitinosans can stabilize colors and retain moisture) to wastewater treatment
(chitinosans can be spread on water to absorb grease and other potentially toxic
substances).
Chitinosans' various actions in the body are still being
investigated, including whether chitinosan supplements can bind with fats in the digestive
tract. Some evidence does suggest that chitinosans dissolve in the stomach and change to a
gelled form, which entraps fat (and cholesterol) in the intestine and prevents it from
being absorbed and digested. This action could not only improve bowel function but also
promote weight control. Proponents claim that chitinosans can bind with and help expel
approximately four times their weight in fat. Thus, for example, taking 2 grams of
chitinosans per day before meals could reduce a 40-grams-of-fat-per-day diet to the
equivalent fat intake of 32 grams.
These claimed fat-fighting properties have made chitinosan products wildly popular as weight-loss agents
in Japan, where annual sales are estimated to approach $1 billion. Sales have also boomed
in recent years in the U.S., spurred in part by aggressive advertising on the part of a
few companies. For example, television infomercials featuring former Los Angeles Dodger
baseball player Steve Garvey extol the wonders of the chitinosan product Fat Trapper.
Testimonials abound about how one chitinosan product or another helped the user lose
weight while not having to make any changes to his or her diet or lifestyle.
Not surprisingly, claims along the lines of
"Blast 50 pounds off in a month!" and "lose weight while still eating fatty
foods" by some chitinosan producers have attracted the attention of
government regulators. In 1999 the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) won a court case against
the company SlimAmerica for making over-the-top chitin claims. In April of this year the
marketers of Fat Trapper agreed to pay the FTC $10 million to settle charges of deceptive
advertising. The settlement prohibits the company from making unsubstantiated claims for
Fat Trapper, including that it "maintains weight loss or avoids weight gain without
dieting or exercise, prevents fat absorption, increases metabolism, burns fat, or allows
weight loss even if users eat high fat foods." State officials have also weighed in:
two district attorneys in California have filed lawsuits against five chitinosan
producers, including the makers of Fat Trapper. The D.A.s contend that any claims that
chitinosan products promote weight loss are unsubstantiated.
| Most of the studies relating to chitinosans and weight loss have been conducted on
animals. Researchers have looked at the effects of chitinosans on mice, rats, chicken, and
other animals. Some results do support the claim that chitinosans can in fact inhibit fat
absorption. For example, in a study published in 1999, Japanese researchers found that
mice fed a high-fat diet experienced a reduction in fat storage when treated with a
chitinosan. The supplement prevented the increase in body weight normally induced by a
high-fat diet. The researchers concluded, "The anti-obesity effects of
chitin-chitosan in high-fat diet-treated mice might be partly due to the inhibition of
intestinal absorption of dietary fat." A 1997 study found that feeding a
chitosan-rich diet to chickens significantly reduced body weights and feed intakes
compared with animals fed on control or pectin-rich diets. Within the past few years researchers have also begun to
conduct clinical trials on humans. So far, the results have been mixed. A few human
studies done in Norway and Italy have shown modest weight losses (such as 8 percent of
bodyweight) from taking chitosan, though these studies have been criticized as poorly
controlled. A more recent British study done on 34 overweight subjects found no weight
loss from taking four capsules of chitosan twice a day for four weeks. Though
well-controlled, this study can be criticized for its limited duration. Another human
study, which was presented at a November 1999 meeting of the North American Association
for the Study of Obesity, compared chitosan to orlistat. The researchers said that
chitosan was much less effective, with 750 mg of the fiber supplement reducing post-meal
fat absorption by only 4.5 percent compared to 30 percent for orlistat. The 750 mg dose,
however, is less than the 1-2 gram dose usually recommended for at least a modest effect.
And although the effect was small, this study did find that chitinosans could reduce fat
absorption in humans. |
 |
Product Recommendations |
 |
- Chitosan Fat Blocker
- Blocks up to 40 % of FAT
-
|
|
| Take chitinosans approximately
one-half hour before each meal, or before any high-fat meals. If you're already eating a
relatively low-fat diet, chitinosans may not have much weight-loss effect. |
| To avoid absorption problems, if you
take a multivitamin or an essential
fatty acid supplement (and you should, especially if you're trying to lose weight),
don't take it at the same time as you take your chitinosan. For example, if you take a
chitinosan before two meals, take these other supplements with your third meal. |
| Most chitinosan labels suggest taking
1-2 grams twice a day, but higher dosages (such as 3-5 grams before any high-fat meal) may
optimize results. Increase fluid consumption accordingly. |
| Chitinosans may also be more effective
when used in conjunction with diet and weight-loss supplements that increase fat burning
or have other weight-loss effects, such as ephedra/caffeine products, pyruvate, CLA, or Lipotropic. |
| Some research suggests that taking
vitamin C with chitinosans may boost their weight-loss effects. |
| To be effective, weight-loss programs
must include lifestyle adjustments that incorporate adequate exercise or physical
activity; a healthful, mostly whole, unprocessed foods, reduced-calorie diet; and
attention to mood and stress level. |
