How Chitosan Works for Weight Management

Introduction to chitosan

Chitosan is a multifunctional biopolymer derived from chitin. Chitin is the second-most abundant polysaccharide on Earth, topped only by cellulose. Its main source is the hard exoskeleton of crustaceans, but it can also be found in invertebrates, insects, algae, and fungi.

Chitosan is a versatile biopolymer that has found a variety of applications in all areas of the food sciences, including functional food applications. In the industry of weight management and dietary supplements, chitosan has been used to bind ingested dietary fat and cholesterol, reducing their absorption and facilitating weight management.

Chitosan properties and bioactivities:

• Antimicrobial or gut microbiota modulating
• Antioxidant
• Fat-binding
• Fiber
• Anti-inflammatory

Chitosan and fat-binding

Chitosan is a naturally fibrous polymer with fat-binding qualities and can actively absorb oils, fats, and lipids. Viscous soluble fibers, and chitosan in particular, are known to interfere with dietary fat metabolism, decreasing the absorption of fats. Unlike other viscous soluble fibers, chitosan becomes positively charged once solubilized in the stomach acid. This positive charge is also the key element for the higher fat-binding capacity of chitosan versus other fibers. Chitosan’s nontoxicity allows it to be used for long term as a dietary fiber to support digestion and aid the development of intestinal microflora with significant benefits to health.

Chitosan may be considered a valuable prebiotic, promoting healthy gut flora and colonic conditions. Accumulating evidence indicates that prebiotics have a diverse range of health benefits, particularly by influencing microbial gut ecology, mineral absorption, laxation, potential anticancer properties, and lipid metabolism, together with anti-inflammatory and other immune effects, including atopic disease.

In addition, chitosan has excellent emulsifying properties and is used to stabilize various oil-in-water emulsions to avoid the use of synthetic surfactants. The intrinsic properties vary with the molecular weight (MW) and degree of deacetylation (DDA), which are the most important characteristics of chitosan.

How LipoSan Ultra® helps weight management

Chitosan’s usefulness in weight management has been proven by dietary supplements such as LipoSan Ultra®. LipoSan Ultra® is a unique and proprietary dietary fiber formulation, shown to significantly reduce body weight in a human clinical study.

The main constituent in LipoSan Ultra® is chitosan, which has been optimized to enhance its solubility in stomach acid and fat binding performance. The resulting enhanced performance of LipoSan Ultra® is characterized by rapid solubility in stomach acid, high density, and molecular weight. These factors all contribute to the greater fat-binding capacity of LipoSan Ultra®.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study examined the effects of a rapidly soluble chitosan dietary supplement on weight loss and body composition in overweight and mildly obese individuals. The results showed that a daily dose (3 g) of LipoSan Ultra® led to a significant weight loss (1 kg) and reduced body mass index (BMI) in treated subjects. The subjects were overweight or mildly obese women, aged 21 to 55, who followed a nonrestrictive diet for eight weeks. By comparison, the placebo group showed a 1.5 kg weight gain and increased BMI.

LipoSan Ultra® is also a more user-friendly dietary supplement. Unlike other chitosan products, that are typically taken at least 30 minutes before mealtime to fully dissolve, LipoSan Ultra® can be used with a non-restrictive diet and taken at mealtime.

Chitosan supplements as a pathway to health

Chitosan can be used as a valuable and safe adjunct in the long-term dietary treatment of obesity, most likely with beneficial effects on the reduction of blood pressure associated with weight reduction. Regular consumption will contribute to the maintenance of normal blood LDL cholesterol concentrations.

In addition, new in vitro findings indicate that LipoSan Ultra® has significant health benefits, including:

• reducing detrimental fermentation in the colon, promoting gut health
• stimulating good bacteria, having a positive effect on colonic health
• producing higher levels of acetate, propionate, lactate and butyrate

Consequently, dietary supplements such as LipoSanUltra® can support the digestive system as a whole and may help in the prevention of inflammation and other undesirable health conditions. Considering these benefits, dietary supplements with chitosan can prove to be a valuable and safe supplement in long-term dietary treatment, contributing to cardiovascular health and improved well-being.

Summary

Chitosan has multiple applications in the food industry, including weight management as a dietary supplement. Chitosan has been used to facilitate weight loss by binding ingested dietary fat and cholesterols, hence reducing their absorption. As a fiber, it is also a valuable nutrient which can promote optimal colonic conditions.

Thanks to its health-promoting bioactivities, chitosan can help support a healthier lifestyle. Considering current scientific knowledge and population needs, it appears tactical to provide weight management solutions to tackle the obesity epidemic while promoting calorie restriction to enhance overall wellness.

Primex, an Icelandic biotechnology company and world leader in the production of high-quality chitosan, has already successfully used chitosan in its dietary supplements, LipoSan Ultra and ChitoCare beauty Hair, Skin & Nails.

For further information on how Primex can assist you with your chitosan needs or if you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch.