| We Americans are in big trouble-literally. | | | | of marine animals like shrimp and crab. In the |
| 2 out of every 3 of us are overweight, and many of | | | | stomach, chitosan acts like a soluble fiber, soaking up |
| us are obese-we don't have just a few pounds to | | | | water and forming a gel that traps fats and oils. The |
| lose, but 20, 30, 40 pounds or more. | | | | fat-trapping action continues in the small intestine, |
| We try to lose that weight, of course. But a | | | | where positively-charged chitosan molecules attract |
| depressing 95 percent of dieters never lose much or | | | | and engulf negatively-charged fatty acids, the building |
| gain back everything they've lost. What to do? | | | | blocks of fat. |
| Well, the answer to that question is an inescapable | | | | The overall effect of fat-trapping: a portion of the |
| metabolic reality: you have to decrease your intake | | | | fat you eat is ushered out of the body instead of |
| of calories and increase your calorie-burning physical | | | | being absorbed. Each gram of chitosan can trap a |
| activity. | | | | couple of grams of fat; every gram of fat trapped is |
| But scientific research shows that a select group of | | | | 9 less calories absorbed. And, as the recent study |
| vitamins and herbs can safely and effectively aid | | | | conducted by Dr. Preuss shows, that's a plus for |
| weight loss-by boosting metabolism...slowing the | | | | weight-loss. |
| body's fat-making machinery...reducing | | | | Dr. Preuss conducted the study with his colleague Gil |
| appetite...building calorie-burning muscle...or blocking the | | | | Kaats, Ph.D., at the Health and Medical Research |
| absorption of fats and carbohydrates. | | | | Center in San Antonio, Texas. 134 adults were |
| I've written about these supplements in my new | | | | divided into 3 groups: one took 3 grams of chitosan a |
| book, The Natural Fat-Loss Pharmacy (Broadway, | | | | day; one group took a placebo; and one group didn't |
| 2007), co-authored with Harry Preuss, MD, a | | | | get either, but participated in a weight-loss program |
| nutritionist and professor at Georgetown University | | | | of their choice. |
| Medical Center. You can find out more about The | | | | The folks taking chitosan lost more weight than the |
| Natural Fat-Loss Pharmacy, and my other books on | | | | other two groups-and most of that weight was from |
| health and healing, at my website, | | | | fat. You might think that's not such a big deal: don't all |
| Recently, Dr. Preuss published new research on one | | | | dieters lose fat? No, many dieters lose vital, |
| of the supplements featured in the book: the fiber, | | | | calorie-burning muscle, dooming their long-term |
| chitosan. The research appeared in the Journal of the | | | | efforts to maintain weight-loss. |
| American College of Nutrition, in October 2006, and | | | | And that's why Dr. Preuss and Dr. Kaats conclude |
| I'd like to tell you about it. But first, let me tell you a | | | | their study with this positive evaluation: chitosan, |
| little bit about chitosan. | | | | they say, can help you get rid of body fat with |
| Chitosan is produced from chitin, the outer covering | | | | minimal loss of calorie-burning lean body mass. |