Contents:
- General information
- General information
- Uses in medicine and the effectiveness of
- The proven effectiveness of
- The unproven effectiveness of
- Use as a caring tool
- Safe use of
Chitosan is a substance with a wide range of properties that is gaining popularity. There is evidence that it is able to block the deposition of adipose tissue, and therefore helps in losing weight. Also quite often it can be found in many cosmetic products, which are used in skin care and hair care. But how is it really going? Does chitosan really have all the qualities that are attributed to it?
General information
So, what is this substance is - chitosan. It is a polysaccharide, a type of insoluble fiber and a derivative of chitin. Its source is chitin, which is found in the shells of crustaceans and is present in some lower mushroom species.
Note! It chitin makes the shell of crustaceans hard!
For the first time chitosan was obtained in 1959 by the scientist S. Roger. Today, 15 methods of obtaining chitin are known, and after the most chitosan from large crustaceans, for example, from the shell of a king crab. But such raw materials are quite expensive, so at the moment there are searches for new sources of this substance - as a variant shells of small crustaceans and insects are considered. By the way, the latter, due to the rapid multiplication, are quite capable of providing a sufficient amount of biomass with the desired chitin in the composition.
Chitosan, which is being realized now, in most cases has the form of a powder, in the photo one can consider its structure.
gel is suitable. Use in medicine and the effectiveness of
The use of chitosan in medicine allows its following properties:
- is an excellent healing activity;
- antithrombotic property;
- hemostatic effect;
- ability to excrete cholesterol;
- strengthens ligaments, cartilage and bone tissue;
- normalizes blood pressure in hypertension;
- being a source of collagen and elastin, chitosan promotes early healing;
- binds toxins and salts of heavy metals, and then promotes their removal from the body;
- exhibits anti-inflammatory effect;
- works to strengthen immunity.
In addition, chitosan, which is marketed in the form of bioadditives, is quite actively advertised as an effective fat-burning agent and the description of its qualities is quite attractive. Plus, it is believed that he is able to help in the treatment of Crohn's disease, and also copes well with diseases of the gums and teeth. But how effective is it in each case?
The proven effectiveness of
Let's start with those conditions in which the intake of chitosan fully justifies itself. These include:
- periodontitis - scientific studies have shown that ascorbate chitosan when applied directly to the affected gum helps to remove the inflammatory process;
- renal failure - with the use of dialysis on a continuous basis and oral administration of chitosan in patients with renal insufficiency, there is a decrease in cholesterol, a gradual elimination of anemia, increased appetite, improved sleep and physical strength;
- regeneration of damaged tissues - a number of studies have confirmed that N-carboxybutyl chitosan deposited on the wound helps to restore the integrity of the skin faster.
The unproved effectiveness of
The following properties of chitosan to the present day are not fully proven or opinions about them are quite contradictory.
- Crohn's disease. Studies in this area have been conducted for a long time. They showed that the parallel intake of chitosan and ascorbic acid helps people with Crohn's disease. However, these data are considered obsolete.
- Caries. It is proved that chitosan can reduce the number of pathogenic bacteria, the activity of which leads to the development of caries, and therefore this substance is often present in chewing gums and mouthwash lotions. But there is no evidence that chitosan prevents caries itself.
- Plaque. As in the situation with Crohn's disease, data on the effectiveness of chitosan in controlling plaque are obsolete.
- Weight loss. The most controversial opinion is the use of chitosan for weight loss. Some studies show that taking this substance contributes to a slight decrease in cholesterol in obese people. Other studies suggest that taking chitosan in combination with a diet results in a slight weight loss, but if the amount of calories consumed is not reduced by relying on chitosan alone, then there is no need to lose weight.
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Note! The above studies did not give a clear answer regarding the effectiveness of chitosan for weight loss, which is associated with their design flaws. If we talk about studies of higher quality, then they give the following result: the use of chitosan in an individual order for 1-6 months leads to an average weight loss of about 0.5 kg!
Use as a caring tool
Due to the fact that chitosan has the ability to significantly reduce the loss of moisture, it is often used in cosmetology as a natural moisturizer. When applied to the skin or to the hair, the substances that make up the substance help restore the natural moisturizing factor.
For the skin
Chitosan helps our skin look fresh and young as follows:
- forming on its surface the thinnest film, this substance serves as a kind of water-retaining coating, which also does not interfere with the normal breathing of the skin;
- possesses powerful absorbent properties, this film provides the skin with an additional portion of moisture that it extracts from the environment;
- protects the cover from the aggressive influence of external factors and increases their resistance to UV radiation.
For these reasons, chitosan is often used in the manufacture of professional cosmetics.
. You can also use this substance at home. Masks with chitosan for the face are actually quite simple in cooking, and in use.
Recommendation! In home cosmetics it is more convenient to use chitosan in capsules!
- Kaolin mask. One capsule of chitosan is mixed with half a tablespoon of kaolin( you can take ordinary white clay), add a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. If the mask is too thick, then it can be diluted with slightly warm boiled water. We keep a third of an hour on our face. After removal on the face do not apply.
- For oily skin with acne. In a pottery we combine one coffee spoon of streptocid powder and baby powder with one capsule of chitosan. Add a few drops of lemon juice, if necessary, dilute the mixture with water. We put on the skin with a brush and after a third of the hour we shake it off with bandage.
Tip! This mask is better to do in the evening and after its removal, the skin does not work. This tool helps regulate the work of the sebaceous glands and at the same time heals the inflamed areas! With regular application, the result will be stable!
- Whitening mask. Brew half a tablespoon of oatmeal in a small amount of water. We mix the chitosan capsule with the resulting kisel-like mass and a teaspoon of lemon juice. In a warm state, we put the product on the skin and remove it as soon as it completely dries - after about half an hour.
For hair
Chitosan is also actively used for care of weakened hair. Here, both the moisturizing properties of this substance and the antistatic properties play a huge role. After using the products on its basis, the hair becomes smooth, healthy shine returns, and their combing is noticeably facilitated.
Prepare a hair mask with chitosan at home is somewhat more difficult than skin care products. This is due to the special ingredients that make up its composition. Most of them can be purchased by a pharmacy, the rest via the Internet. And if you manage to collect everything, then as a result you get a fairly cheap, but incredibly effective mask for the hair. It contains:
- 2 g of chitosan;
- 13 g of apple cider vinegar;
- 3 g of conditioning emulsifier;
- 4 g of BTMS emulsifier;
- 64 g of apple hydrolate;
- 7 g of prakaxi oil;
- 5 g of coconut oil;
- 1 g of lactic acid;
- 0.5 g preservative Phenonip;
- 0.5 g of cosmetic perfume "Apple".
Chitosan is slightly moistened with apple hydrolyte, we add vinegar and lactic acid. Thoroughly mix until a relatively uniform gel-like clot is obtained. Pour half the portion of apple hydrolate and mix again. Should be a fluid gel. We put it aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the prakaxi and coconut oils, add these emulsifiers. A little heat the mass in a water bath until the oil emulsifier flakes are completely dissolved. In the other container, we warm up the remaining portion of the gyrolate and mix it with the oil-emulsifier mixture. Mix the components with a minimixer.
When the mixture is sufficiently cool, add a chitosan gel to it. Again, mix everything with a minimax. We pour in a preservative and perfume.
Note! It is not necessary to use perfume. It only helps to eliminate the unpleasant odor that exudes chitosan!
We put the prepared mask on clean hair and rinse it off in 5-7 minutes.
Safe use of
Despite the fact that chitosan can provide invaluable benefits to our body, in some cases, its administration can cause harm.
- Chitosan can interfere with the normal absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. These include vitamin A, D, E and K. In addition, scientists argue that this substance to some extent worsens the absorption of calcium.
- It is highly undesirable to take chitosan for a long time without consulting a doctor, as side effects are possible that manifest themselves in the form of metabolic changes, mild indigestion, constipation, increased gas production and intestinal microflora disorders.
- During pregnancy and lactation, chitosan and its preparations are prohibited. This is due to the fact that at the moment reliable information regarding its effect on the body during these periods of life is absent.
- For most people, chitosan, used in skin care, is safe. However, in order to rule out the risk of developing an allergy, you should first make a test - apply a mask on your wrist and after a quarter of an hour look at the result.
- Contraindications for oral administration of chitosan and its preparations are: allergy to shellfish and individual intolerance to seafood.
Note! There is an opinion that in such cases an individual intolerance may develop or an allergy to chitosan may develop! These data have no confirmation, but experts still believe that they should pay attention and protect themselves from negative consequences!
In addition, taking chitosan as a dietary supplement, remember that this is just a food supplement that is not able to solve all your health problems on your own. In addition to the fact that her reception requires obligatory consultation of a specialist, she can help only as an auxiliary, being a part of complex therapy.