The oceans are a source of innumerable medical substances. One such magic substance is : Chitosan made from shellfish. Chitosan has since decades been cherished in Korea, Japan and China as a “wonder-drug” used to lower cholesterol, reducing body fat, purifying blood, making vines taste better, cleaning sluggish liver, and reducing joint pains It even make your plants grow stronger and healthier.
Shellfish: a helper for the bad effects of fatty feasting of Christmas?
In Nordic tradition Christmas is a celebration of old pre Christian rites like slaughtering your best pig and serve it for Christmas. Today pigs are bought in the supermarket; but still Norwegians love the fatty crust on their rib, fat dripping desserts and other courses not so healthy! What to do?
Here is a strange substance to take into account: Chitosan is a polysaccharide (sugar) found in shellfish that has the ability to absorb substances it gets in contact with; including fat. Could it be a magic bullet for fat-lovers??
Chitosan recommended by science for a more happy cholesterol.
Here is what the European Food Safety Authority[i] concluded: Taking more than 3 gram Chitosan each day, your “bad LDL-Cholesterol ” will drop down! It also has the ability to reduce painful, inflamed joints! Whereas USA and European opinion is divided and reserved as to recommending Chitosan, Korean and Japanese researchers are far more positive. In the book: Chitin, Chitosan, Oligosaccharides And Their Derivatives by Se Kwon Kim.
The book claims the following interesting results from Chitosan and their related shell-fish derivatives:
- Lowers bad LDL-Cholesterol
- Increase the good HDL –cholesterol
- Improves bile excretion thereby improving digestion of fats.
- Reducing fat absorption from your intestines.
- Increasing fat excretion[ii].
Due to these effects Chitosan may also clean out your arteries if we trust animal experiments[iii]. Some studies also indicate weight-loss in already obese people[iv] but not in non-obese people. In a recent study it is claimed -3 pounds fat -loss taking Chitosan without dieting than did test subjects taking placebo[v]!
Cleanse your blood and your home- made vines!
In a double blind test people with kidney problems[vi] experienced a “blood cleansing “ effect when taking Chitosan[vii] another use for this substance. For those making their own vines Chitosan is a proven remedy amongst professional vine makers to improve the taste of vines by removing fungus and toxins[viii].
Taken together with food, Chitosan may lower your Calcium, Magnesium and several fat soluble substances[ix]; therefor one should always take supplements when taking Chitosan, but not at the same time.
It should be said from personal experience: to see results you must take at least 3-5 gram Chitosan per day for several months. In a study we did with volunteers some years ago, those taking Chitosan without change in diet, test-subjects got a significant drop in liver -enzyme usually regarded as a sign of liver-overwork!!
As for over all results: eat healthy, workout regularly, drink pure water. There is no cheap entrance to the paradise of good health. But taking some Chitosan may help you clean out some toxins and some unwanted fat!
Where to get Chitosan cheap and pure!
The downside to the good story is however price. Chitosan is an expensive substance. Searching the market for good, cheap, affordable products we have discovered a small manufacturer at the coast of Southern Norway: MEDICMARINE use to deliver Chitosan for human use, 100% pure, at a very low price plus one of the purest fish -oils ever to hit the market, and the only cod-liver oils ever to get “extra Virgin stamp“ from the FDA in USA.
Copyright Øverbye 2023.
[i] http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/doc/2214.pdf
[ii] M. Sugano, T. Fujikawa, Y. HIratsuji, K. Nakashima, N. Fukuda, and Y. Hosegawa, A novel use of chitosan as a hypocholesterolemic agent in rats, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 33:787 (1980).
[iii] D. J. Ormrod, C. C. Holmes. And T. E. Miller, Dietary chitosan inhibits hypercholesterolaemia and atherogenesis in the apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse model of atherosclerosis, Atherosclerosis 138:329 (1998).
[iv] G. Macchi. A new approach to the treatment of obesity: Chitosan’s effect on body weight reduction and plasma cholesterol levels. Acta Toxicol. Ther. 17 [4], 303-320. (1996).
[v] http://www.muscleandfitness.com/supplements/lose-fat/less-fat-more-muscle-chitosan
[vi] * Jing SB, Li L, Ji D, et al. Effect of chitosan on renal function in patients with chronic renal failure. J Pharm Pharmacol. 1997;49:721-723.
[vii] http://www.med.nyu.edu/content?ChunkIID=21656
[viii] Quintela, S; Villarán, M. C.; López De Armentia, I; Elejalde, E (2012). «Ochratoxin a removal from red wine by several oenological fining agents: Bentonite, egg albumin, allergen-free adsorbents, chitin and chitosan». Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A 29 (7): 1168–74.
[ix] Koide SS. Chitin-chitosan: properties, benefits and risks. Nutr Res. 1998;18:1091-1101.Chitosan