Chitosan Planet

Chitosan is recognized around the world for its various benefits. It is found in shellfish, insect shells, fungi cell walls, and other crustaceans. Its uses have long been known, since ancient times. Made from chitin, a polysaccharide found in those crustaceans, chitosan is considered to be the second best among nature’s polymers. 

Chitosan, a refined form of chitin, is produced, or processed, by removing the shells from shellfish.  The shells are then ground into a pulverized powder, which is de-acetylated, or stripped of specific chemical groups, allowing the compound to actively soak up fats.

There are a number of applications linked to chitosan.   Because of these applications, chitosan is now marketed as a dietary supplement and is used to thicken foods, paints and makeup, and it even has promising applications as an artificial skin for burn victims. 

There are two kinds of chitosan. These are the dry and flakey product, and the liquid chitosan. Though both of them are used to help in dieting, it is the liquid chitosan that attracts most people. This is due to the fact that liquid chitosan helps in eliminating stomach pains. It prevents clumping problem as it turns fat to hundreds of tiny calorie-free beads that are far gentler on your digestive tract. 

The liquid chitosan is often identified by its appearance, color, protein content, degree of deactivation, viscosity, insoluble, and other factors.   Here is a summary of these factors: 

Appearance: Liquid

Color:  Clear and yellow

Protein Content:  Less than 0.5 percent, and often results to 0.14 percent, if measured by Kjeldal method

Degree of De-acetylation:  More than 90 percent, with a result of 95 percent if measured through colloidal method.

Viscosity:   If you will prepare liquid chitosan by stirring 30 minutes, you can get a viscosity of about 50cps. You can measure it with a Brookfield viscometer

Insoluble:  Less than 0.5 percent insolubility if 20 grams of liquid chitosan is dissolved in 100 ml of distilled water

Heavy Metals (As and Pb):  Less than 10ppm if measured through ICP analysis.

pH:  Liquid chitosan has a pH level of less than 5.5

Odor:  Liquid chitosan has actually no taste and smell 

Today, liquid chitosan is commonly used as a weight loss supplement.  Many of those who have used the flakey product have turned to the liquid form, noting that liquid Chitosan works better in the system than the flakey form.   In fact, there was one report noting that a customer who once used the flakey form of chitosan developed gas and stomach pains.  To avoid such unfavorable condition, she turned to using the liquid form. 

However, a necessary precaution should be remembered when taking this liquid chitosan. Since it binds fat, it also binds some essential nutrients that are needed by the body. The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are being made unavailable to the body when you are taking liquid chitosan. That is why health experts advise you to take the necessary supplements to replace the lost ones.