Chitosan: benefits, dosage, contraindications
Other name(s)
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Amino acids
Indications
Rating methodology
EFSA approval.
Obesity ✪✪✪✪✪
Chitosan is studied for its potential in obesity management, with varying results according to studies. A 2008 Cochrane systematic review evaluated 15 clinical studies involving 1219 participants and revealed that chitosan led to a significantly greater weight loss than placebo, with a weighted mean difference of -1.7 kg. This analysis also noted a reduction in total cholesterol and an improvement in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. However, despite these positive results, the clinical significance of these effects remains uncertain, and the suboptimal quality of many studies limits the reliability of these conclusions. More recent meta-analyses indicate that consuming 1 to 3 g of chitosan per day for up to a year can slightly to moderately reduce body weight compared to placebo, with average weight loss not exceeding 1 kg compared to placebo over a year. Chitosan also seems to slightly improve blood pressure as well as LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels in overweight or obese patients. However, chitosan seems beneficial for weight loss only when combined with a low-calorie diet.
Posologie
Oral route
1 - 3 g
Skin healing ✪✪✪✪✪
Chitosan is used in the treatment of burns and wounds in the form of films, bandages, cotton-like materials, and non-woven pads. Its dressings, highly bacteriostatic, promote healing and are fully biodegradable in the human body. The topical application of chitosan improves tissue regeneration, particularly useful in plastic surgery for the regeneration of donor sites. Clinical studies show that chitosan accelerates connective tissue reformulation, reduces healing time compared to other conventional dressings, and improves revascularization and nerve regeneration of wounds.
Posologie
Oral route
gel
Chitosan membrane as a wound-healing dressing: characterization and clinical application
The effects of a topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin, and despanthenol on the wound healing process subsequent to impacted lower third molar extraction
Dyslipidemia ✪✪✪✪✪
Chitosan is explored for its potential to reduce dyslipidemia, forming complexes with fats such as cholesterol. Reviews and clinical studies indicate a variable reduction in total cholesterol and LDL levels, with some results showing a decrease after 4 to 8 weeks of treatment with 1.2 g of chitosan per day. However, meta-analyses have not consistently demonstrated a significant effect on triglycerides or LDL, and some trials have shown no notable impact on cholesterol. A 2008 Cochrane review and a meta-analysis concluded that chitosan may reduce total cholesterol but not necessarily other blood lipids.
Posologie
Oral route
1.2 g
Properties
Metabolic
Chitosan is promoted as a fat blocker, similar to orlistat. It is believed to act by binding to dietary fats and negatively charged bile acids in the intestine, thus reducing their absorption. A study in adults with Crohn's disease showed that chitosan increases fecal fat excretion.
Usages associés
Antibacterial
Chitosan exhibits demonstrated antibacterial effects in vitro studies and on animals. It has broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, being more effective against Gram-negative bacteria and less so against Gram-positive. Low molecular weight chitosan can penetrate bacterial cell walls, bind to DNA, and block DNA transcription and mRNA synthesis. High molecular weight chitosan can bind to negatively charged cell wall components, altering wall permeability and limiting transport into the cell.
Hypolipidemic
Chitosan is known for its potential hypolipidemic effect, influencing the composition of bile acids and capturing lipids in the intestine. Positively charged chitosan polymers bind to negatively charged bile acids, thus reducing cholesterol levels. Low molecular weight chitosan forms like HEP-30 might be more effective at lowering cholesterol by adhering better to fats.
Usages associés
Healing
Chitosan promotes wound healing. Applied topically, it acts as a hemostatic agent, accelerating granulation and organization of the healing process. It stimulates the activity of inflammatory cells essential for healing, such as leukocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts. Additionally, due to its antimicrobial properties, chitosan helps reduce the risk of infection, a factor that can significantly delay wound healing.
Usages associés
Safety dosage
Adult: 1.2 g - 4.5 g
According to clinical studies: - Weight loss: 3-4.5 g per day in divided doses, 30 minutes before meals. - Hyperlipidemia: 1.2-4.5 g/day in divided doses. - Insulin sensitivity: 750 mg 3 times per day.
Interactions
Médicaments
Acyclovir: moderate interaction
Concomitant administration of chitosan and acyclovir reduces acyclovir absorption, according to clinical research. This interaction is due to acyclovir becoming entangled in chitosan complexes, which decreases absorption.
Precautions
Pregnant women: avoid
Pregnant women should avoid taking chitosan at meal times, as it may reduce the absorption of essential dietary nutrients.
Breastfeeding women: avoid
Breastfeeding women should avoid taking chitosan at meal times, as it may reduce the absorption of essential dietary nutrients.
Contraindications
Allergies: forbidden
Individuals allergic to shellfish may also be allergic to chitosan.
