Chitosan May Be Ineffective For Weight Loss 34663

Chitosan May Be Ineffective For Weight Loss

AUCKLAND, New Zealand--Chitosan may be ineffective in producingweight loss and reduction in serum lipids through gastrointestinal fat binding,according to a study published in the September issue of the InternationalJournal of Obesity (28, 9:1149?1156, 2004) (www.nature.com/ijo).

In the 24-week, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial,scientists at the University of Auckland administered 3 g/d of chitosan to 250subjects with a mean body mass index of 35.5 (5.1) kg2, 82 percent of whom werewomen with mean age of 48. All participants received dietary and lifestylecounseling.

The study participants were measured for changes in body weight, body massindex, waist circumference, body fat percentage, blood pressure, serum lipids,plasma glucose, fat-soluble vitamins, fecal fat and health-related quality oflife. The chitosan group lost more body weight than the placebo group during thestudy, but the effects were negligible. There were similarly inconsequentialchanges in low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol andglucose levels.

The researchers concluded chitosan treatment did not result in a clinicallysignificant loss of body weight compared with placebo in the 24-week trial.