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Chitosan Dietary Supplements: Effective, Natural Tools for Weight Management |
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Chitosan Dietary Supplements: Effective,
Natural Tools for Weight Management
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Last year an estimated 300,000 people
died due to obesity-related causes,
making it the second-leading cause of
death after smoking. It is no wonder that
Americans spend upwards of $33 billion a
year in weight control products.
For thousands who have tried weight
loss programs, though the results have
been less than stellar. Aside from products
that simply don’t work, many Americans
have had their health severely compromised,
as was the case with the national
recall of Fen-Phen when it was shown that
the popular drug caused heart damage in
some patients.
People struggling with weight control
are still searching for a simple, safe and
effective way to manage their diet, and a
growing number have turned to a substance
straight from the ocean.
More than one million people use chitosan
dietary supplements to help manage
their weight safely, naturally and effectively.
Scientific research shows that chitosan binds
to fat and interferes with its digestion—
making it a viable tool to support ongoing
weight management goals. However, the
efficacy of chitosan does not depend on a
commitment to systemic use; instead, it can
be taken directly before a high fat meal,
when it is needed most.
A Natural Health Supplement
Chitosan is made from chitin, one of the
world’s most abundant natural polymers,
which is refined from the shells of crab,
shrimp and other crustaceans. For centuries
people have relied on chitosan’s
unique binding properties for an array of
health applications. Chitosan based ingredients
are widely accepted in Asia and
other regions of the world as excellent
treatments for wounds and burns and have
been used for years in the Japanese food
industry. Studies show that chitosan is very
safe—with a toxicity level similar to that of
table salt.
Once dissolved in stomach acid, chitosan
supplements attract, bind and entrap
neutral fats to carry them through the digestive
system. Non-digested fats are naturally
secreted without being absorbed by the body.
Chitosan is made from chitin, one of the world’s
most abundant natural polymers, which is refined
from the shells of crab, shrimp and other crustaceans.
Sophisticated Chitosan Technology
Chitosan must be completely dissolved in
stomach acid in order to bind fat effectively.
In the past this created inherent shortcomings
because weight-conscious consumers
had to take most supplements at least an
hour before a meal.
Recent scientific developments—in the
form of LipoSan Ultra—have greatly
extended the benefits of chitosan’s weightcontrol
capabilities. Developed by Vanson
HaloSource, a leading U.S. manufacturer of
high-grade chitosan, LipoSan Ultra’s
patented formula has been shown to dissolve
in less than five minutes in laboratory
studies. Because of this rapid solubility it can
be taken immediately before a high fat meal.
Scientifically Proven Results
In 2001 a real-world, double-blind, placebocontrolled
human weight loss study published
in the peer-reviewed Journal of the
American Nutraceutical Association (JANA)
demonstrated significant weight loss for
participants taking LipoSan Ultra compared
to a group taking a placebo. For eight
weeks researchers monitored 59 women
who maintained their traditional eating
habits and activity levels without any artifi-
cial calorie restrictions or forced exercise
programs. At the end of the study the
women taking LipoSan Ultra weighed an
average of five pounds less than the group
taking a placebo. In addition, the LipoSan
Ultra test group also experienced decreased
mean weight and body mass index (BMI),
while mean weight, BMI and percentage of
body fat of the women taking a placebo
increased.
Several other published studies further
confirm that chitosan has a positive impact
on weight loss in calorie restricted diets. In
addition, robust laboratory data show that
LipoSan Ultra, because of its rapid solubility,
binds significantly more oil compared to
other chitosans under the same conditions.
A Tool for Weight Management
LipoSan Ultra is not systemic, which makes
it a flexible and effective weight management
tool when used in combination with a
healthy diet and exercise program. Because
it’s a naturally derived polysaccharide, it
offers all the positive benefits of common
dietary fibers. Made with chitosan—the
same substance safely used by the biomedical
and food industries in Asia—LipoSan
Ultra is scientifically proven, and is a
simple, safe and effective way to control
weight.
Everett J. Nichols, Ph.D., M.S.P.H.
Vice President Research and Development
One of the foremost authorities on chitin
and chitosan, Everett J. Nichols leads development
of all Vanson HaloSource’s technological
advancements and product
applications based on natural polymers. His
career spans 23 years studying the structural
and functional properties of biological carbohydrate
biopolymers, including chitin
and chitosan. He has led and participated in
research endeavors at Washington State
University, University of Washington, Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and a
Seattle biotechnology company, where he
worked on developing novel treatments for
cancer. In 1979 he and WSU professor Lee
Hadwiger were the first to demonstrate chitosan’s
defense-inducing activities in plants,
leading the way to agricultural applications
including control of crop diseases and yield
enhancement.
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