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Health News Archive 561 - Weight Loss
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Chitosan Promotes Weight and Fat Loss

The popular fiber supplement chitosan helps reduce body weight and body fat, according to a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

One-hundred-fifty overweight men and women were randomly assigned to one of three groups. The treatment group was given 3 grams of chitosan daily along with a self-monitored behavior-modification program; a placebo group received an inactive supplement and the same behavioral program; and a control group followed any program of their choosing. Body composition, bone density, and blood chemistry were measured at the trial’s onset and 60 days later.

Those who took chitosan lost an average of 2.8 pounds, compared to a loss of 0.6 pounds in the placebo group and a gain of 0.8 pounds in the control group. The chitosan group also had greater reductions in fat percentage and fat mass than the placebo group, along with an improvement in body composition.

“These data provide evidence for the efficacy and safety of a chitosan compound to facilitate the depletion of excess body fat with minimal loss of fat-free or lean body mass,” the scientists concluded.

Source: Kaats GR, Michalek JE, Preuss HG. Evaluating efficacy of a chitosan product using a double-blinded, placebo-controlled protocol. J Am Coll Nutr. 2006 Oct;25(5):389-94.
Reprinted with exclusive permission of Life Extension.

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