What is it?

At first glance, chitosan may appear as the most appealing, miracle-cure supplement for fat loss of the century. In fact, chitosan has quickly become extremely popular fat burner among those seeking a quick fix for weight loss simply because of the bold (and outrageous) marketing claims targeted at those seeking to eat a "carefree" diet without the worry of gaining bodyfat... Claims like "block your favorite foods (like beer, pizza, donuts) from turning into fat," "eat more of the foods you crave, without putting on fat!" are just a few of the many outrageous claims made by fat loss marketers of chitosan, leading the FTC to take action against such companies. Touted as a miracle fat loss agent, chitosan theoretically acts like a "fat sponge," absorbing fats before they can be stored. (You don't want to know what your body does with the fat then!)

How this fat burner works

Chitosan is a fat burner, which is derived from the shells of marine animals, such as crab and shrimp, and forms a fiber-like compound. When chitosan enters the stomach, it turns into a gelatin-like substance, which acts as a fat burner and attracts fat to it like a strong magnet: chitosan is positively charged, and fats are negatively charged, so they have a strong attraction to each other. Theoretically, because fat is bound so tightly to chitosan, the fat will remain with the chitosan as it travels through the digestive system and is eliminated from the body with the insoluble chitosan. Allegedly, chitosan attracts three to six times its weight in fats as it passes through the digestive tract, thereby acting as a fat burner by helping us avoid the accumulation of bodyfat.

What does the science say about this fat burner?

You may be thinking this stuff sounds too good to be true, and you may be right about that. While chitosan has been shown in studies to attach to fat and lower levels of blood fats (i.e., triglycerides), it doesn't appear to really help that much, if at all, when it comes to fat loss—at least according to the human research. In addition, this fat burner has been shown to leach important nutrients, like the fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids, from the body. And what's more, many past users have reported that they need to do more laundry—um, well, because chitosan may cause (how do we put this?) "anal discharge."

How to take it

Studies suggest three to six grams per day, taken 15 minutes before meals, are most effective.