Another benefit of chitosan is that it inhibits bad cholesterol and boosts good cholesterol. Chitosan acts as an antacid and may be beneficial in the healing of ulcers and lesions. Chitosan also has anti-bacterial properties. People with high blood pressure or irritable bowel syndrome may also benefit from this fiber. Fibers also provide important cleansing to the GI system.
Dietary fiber is a valuable addition to a properly balanced weight management program.
Cholesterol-Lowering Effects Research has shown that chitosan may be effective in reducing blood cholesterol levels. Subsequent animal work showed that chitosan may also bind cholesterol in the bowel. Preliminary results of a supplementation trial conducted in Norway showed that blood cholesterol levels decreased about 25 percent in adults who consumed chitosan daily for eight weeks in addition to their self-selected diets. Although the mechanism for lowering blood cholesterol is not completely understood, it is thought that chitosan molecules act as fat scavenger in the digestive tract, trapping both fat and dietary cholesterol which are then excreted. Since chitin acts like a fiber, it is largely indigestible and passes through the gut mostly unchanged.