Chitosan Health Benefits, Properties, and Uses

Chitosan is a type of fiber from chitin, which is a substance found in the exoskeleton of crustaceans like shrimp and crab. It’s also found in the cells of fungi. Chitosan is a fiber that doesn’t get absorbed by the intestines, but rather helps with other metabolic functions.¹

Chitosan is also available in dietary supplement form to take for weight loss and other uses.

Chitosan Health Uses and Health Benefits

There are several chitosan health benefits for digestive health and other conditions. Chitosan health benefits are closely related to weight management, making it a potentially beneficial remedy for diabetes management. Chitosan has shown to help lower blood sugar levels and helps increase the efficiency of insulin production.²

Chitosan also has important health benefits for preventing heart disease. Chitosan helps to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and helps to improve the metabolism of fats. Chitosan also has important heart health benefits in regulating blood pressure in those with hypertension.²

Being a dietary fiber, chitosan is also beneficial in weight loss. Insoluble fiber helps to increase the feeling of being full (satiety), which helps prevent additional intake in calories when trying to lose weight.²

Chitosan has also shown to have benefits in helping reduce symptoms of Crohn’s disease. Chitosan can help reduce inflammation, which can prevent Crohn’s disease flareups. Chitosan can also help in preventing anemia as well as bacterial overgrowths that cause a host of symptoms like loss of appetite, fever and body aches and pains.²

References

1. https://www.livestrong.com/article/225178-what-is-chitosan-used-for/
2. https://www.inlifehealthcare.com/2015/02/21/health-benefits-of-chitosan/