Chitosan Weight Loss Pills

What is Chitosan?

Chitosan is derived from chitin which is found in the exoskeleton of shellfish and crustaceans such as shrimp, crab and lobster.

There are a number of manufacturers who market weight loss supplements under the name of Chitosan . It is a non-digestible dietary fibre and therefore does not contain any kilocalories. The manufacturers promote the products as a fat binder claiming that it will absorb, or bind, fat in the stomach thereby preventing it from being absorbed into the blood stream.

Do Chitosan Weight Loss Pills Work?

When trials were initially carried out on Chitosan the results seemed to be quite encouraging. These trials were however carried out on animals and the test subjects did lose a certain amount of weight.  It would however appear that the exact amount of weight lost and the speed at which it was lost does not appear to have been accurately documented.

On the basis of these rather inconclusive trials the product was then put into production and offered for sale. It would appear that no tests were actually carried out on humans .

In the late 1990’s however the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition carried out tests on Chitosan to try and establish whether it was in fact effective in weight loss. Participants in the trials were divided into two separate groups.

The trial was conducted over a four week period. Group one was prescribed 8 weight reduction pills in accordance with the manufacturers instructions and group two was given a placebo. When the trial was completed it was discovered that both groups of participants had lost the same amount of weight.

Further vigorous tests were carried out by Dr. Stern (one of the founders of the American Obesity Association) who also concluded that Chitosan was ineffective as a weight loss supplement. He also concluded that Chitosan could in fact be harmful to your health as it can actually dissolve many of the vitamins and minerals that the body requires in order to remain healthy.

Conclusion.

There would appear to be little concrete evidence that Chitosan Weight Loss Pills will help you to lose weight. There are concerns regarding the long term effects of taking Chitosan and it has been suggested that people taking the product can suffer side effects such as constipation and upset stomach. As Chitosan is derived from crustations it should be avoided by anyone who has any type of shellfish allergy.

Do we recommend Chitosan Weight Loss Pills?

It is difficult to recommend a product that has not been proven to work.

Alternatives to Chitosan

There are a number of weight reduction pills that are marketed as fat binders but some are far more effective than others so it is important that you research thoroughly any product that you may be considering. Products such as Proactol Plus and Phen375 have undergone extensive trials and have documented evidence regarding their effectiveness.