This natural remedy for losing weight has a fascinating history and a ton of really useful things it is used for, not the least of which is supposedly being at fat attractant. One thing to note if you are considering trying this natural remedy for weight loss - if you have shellfish allergies do not take this product.
Chitosan is made from something called chitin - a starch found in shrimp, crab and other shellfish skeletons. It's most common uses are:
As a plant growth enhancer, and defender against fungal infections.
As a filtration component in water processing engineering that binds sediment and removes it. It also removes phosphorus, heavy minerals, and oils from water.
As a clarifying agent for wine, mead and beer that removes yeast cells, fruit particles etc
As a blood clotter, used in bandages. Hypoallergenic with natural anti-bacterial properties.
But, what about weight loss? Where does Chitosan fit into losing weight. Here's where the fat attractent theory comes into play. It's frequently sold in health food stores and billed as a substance that attracts fat from the digestive system and expels it from the body. This in theory means a dieter could lose weight without eating less. Unfortunately, it appears to be just that, a theory. Research has shown unmodified Chitosan would possibly remove about 30 calories a day from a person's diet. Modified, this product boasts claims (mostly unsubstantiated) of absorbing from three to six times its weight in fat and oil.
Evidently initial trials with the product to test its effectiveness as a weight loss remedy were conducted on animals, not humans. So most of the speculation about what this product can or can not do is moot and just that, speculation. It seems most weight loss professionals agree that Chitosan doesn't do the job when it comes to weight loss. And what recent trials there have been only show no more weight loss than a person who took placebo sugar pills.
Cascara Sagrada (also called Sacred Bark, Bitter Bark, Chittem bark , California Buckthorn and Rhamnus purshiana) is a common ingredient found in natural remedies for losing weight. A strong stimulant laxative, it needs to be used with a great deal of care because it can leech potassium and sodium from your body. Of interest, the bark of the tree is removed, cut into small pieces, and dried for one year before being used medicinally.
Spanish priests in California named the tree Cascara is harvested from. It's name origins may either be from the medicinal properties of the bark or from its resemblance to wood used for the ark of the covenant.
Most Doctors will advice you that Cascara should be taken consecutively for no longer than eight to ten days, so you need to very carefully read labels when considering a natural remedy for losing weight that contains cascara. If pregnant or nursing, you must also use this with extreme caution.
It seems the main raison d'etre of this herbal product is to promote bowel movements, so how does it figure in today's natural remedies for losing weight? Many of the products being marketed that have Cascara in them are packaged with other products to supposedly give you a lean look, help you become a fat burning furnace and so forth. This is precisely this thing you need to be careful of when you read labels.
If you find yourself reading a label that has Cascara, psyllium husks and Senna(all bowel movement enhancers), and Valerian (for sleeplessness) and an appetite suppressant, and a whole list of other ingredients, head for your Pharmacist to translate for you. It may be that using a product like this helps you lose weight because you are continually expelling what you do eat with the aid of bowel stimulators. Not a healthy way to lose weight. While Senna, Cascara, and Aloe are authorized for oral use as laxatives, they are also way too often promoted for detoxifying or cleansing regimens. There are serious risks with the chronic use of laxatives or combining multiple laxatives together. These can include the risk of electrolyte disturbances affecting the heart, as well as functional bowel problems. Use caution when investigating herbal substances for weight loss.
