Chitosan to cheat on dieting? 26/5/2003 Chitosan, the substance derived from crustacean shells, may decrease mild to moderate cholesterol levels in women, suggest Japanese researchers. In a study on 90 female volunteers, orally administered chitosan appeared to reduce total cholesterol, and also LDL levels in older women. The researchers explain in this month's European Journal of Clinical Nutrition that the supplement binds lipids in the small intestine and reduces their absorption. Chitosan has previously been shown to decrease serum cholesterol in animal and human studies, but this study investigated the effectiveness of chitosan in reducing serum cholesterol without concomitant diet therapy. The volunteers, aged 34-70 years old, with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia randomly received 1.2 g of chitosan daily or a placebo in a double-blind study. Serum lipids, body weight and adverse events were assessed at baseline and after 28 and 56 days of treatment. Subjects maintained their usual diet and documented the type and gross amount of food consumed. The researchers from the Shimane Institute of Health Science in Izumo, Japan report that chitosan significantly reduced total cholesterol and in a subgroup of subjects over the age of 60, the compound significantly reduced both total and LDL cholesterol. The researchers noted however that although chitosan appeared to be safe - adverse effects were few and no serious events were reported - the effect of chitosan for decreasing cholesterol is mild.