I've searched some informations surfingo on Google. Sometimes I think they are too difficult to understand by èeople who haven't studied medicine and many times they are superficial. However I found that ''Chitosan'' is a polysaccharide (chitin) that links lipids in the stomach, so it can be used to help people to less weight.

As you can imagine, surfing the Web I have come across discordant kinds of data, some of which can constitute a risky trap to inexperienced people like patients, who could easily be tricked by persuasive commercial advertisings. Despite finding some scientific hits, I could not avoid a lot of sites selling Chitosan as if it were miraculous: “It burns fats directly in the stomach”, “fat-loss from the second day”, “it protects your liver and strengthens your immune system” and so on… Can it really be true? You do not need to be a hacker to understand that the net is overflowing with frauds. From the enormous quantity of information I could collect, I could not actually come to a clear conclusion concerning its efficiency and safety hence I deduce that my search is not enough to answer Giovanni’s question.

surfing on the web , especially in google , i found a lot a informations about chitosano. Sometimes the info are too specific and they used a lot of scientifical words, so i think that for many people could be difficult to understand the product's features and even the use.  In other web pages instead i found some commercial informations like prices and sellers, and the product seems to be expensive. however on the web i found out that the product is a polysaccaride like chitin that reduces fat assimilation, but there are a lot of opposing medical opinions about the fact if it really works or not.

Firstly, I’ve written Chitosan on Google, but I' ve find out a lot of information that seems to be too chaotic. I’ve find chitosan’s origin, lots of scientifically definitions, many links that advertise its slimming effects and other more critical about it. Unsatisfied, secondly, I’ve written what I was really interested in: chitosan to lose weight. On Medscape, I’ve read that it has lots of benefits: for example, it has been claimed to reduce cholesterol, improve anemia, enhance physical strength, and promote sleep. But, in another web page I’ve find an article written by a doctor who advises against this product judging it too expensive and totally ineffective! What a mess! To sum up, on internet there are some scientific but most of all commercial information. Consequently, it’s difficult to choose what to believe in.  

Surfing on google, I have seen many sites that talk about chitosan. I read that it is a polysaccharide derived from chitin, one of the exoskeletons of crustaceaus component. There are many opinions that make it look like a product that would allow an "easy" weight loss because it seems to be able to bind to fat and make it not very digestible, and at the same time to bring benefits to the hepatic level. Unfortunately there are no scientific confirmations on its real capabilities so I do not think I'm able to provide a complete answer to Giovanni.

As I imagined, my search on google has not been satisfactory. Information are purely type commercial: they limit him to explain the composition of the product, the granted dosing but there is no reference to studies scientific ducts to respect. Scarce they are also the indications around the possible collateral effects. If I had to answer to the questions of Giovanni, I would know how to say only that Chitosan is a sugar that is obtained from the hard outer skeleton of shellfish, including crab, lobster, and shrimp.

It is used to treat obesity, high cholesterol, and Crohn’s disease. It is also used to treat complications that kidney failure patients on dialysis often face, including high cholesterol, “tired blood”, loss of strength and appetite, and trouble sleeping.

 These information are meant to supplement, not replace advice from doctor or healthcare provider. They may not fit specific health circumstances. People should always speak with their doctor or health care professional before they start, stop, or change any prescribed part of their health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for them.

Surfing on Google, I have found a lot of web site that sell the “Chitosan”. I found that chitosan is used in low-calorie diets. Its effectiveness comes from the ability to bind fat and prevent its absorption. I don’t find the possible side effects, but the only advice is not exceed the recommended dose. For this, my results isn’t enough to answer the Giovanni’s questions, thus I don’t recommend its consumptions.

Surfing on internet I found some interesting facts about chitosan. It is used because it is thought that it has weight loss effects making the fat absorption slower. This theory is discordant because some say it actually works while others deny. I red it can lead to complications dangerous for the healt. Also,it is quite pricey. I don't believe in the efficacy of a drug who makes you loose fat without leading to side effects so I don't believe in its efficacy. The best way to loose fat is to follow ah healthy and hypochaloric diet while exercise.

Altough there is no scientific data who actually encourages the use of chitosan for weight loss pourposes, I would be honest with the patient and tell him that I can't ensure that the drug will actually be effective, besides I'd strongly advice him to follow a diet and to exercise daily  as no result is obtained by sitting all day long eating donuts.

I find some informations about chitosano by surfing on internet. It's a polysaccharide and In medicine it may be useful in bandages and as an antibacterial agent. More controversially, chitosan  could be used in limiting fat absorption but there are struggles about this use. I think not all the informations I found are trustworthy and also I think people like Giovanni have to correct their lifestyle and not swallow these pills.

Surfing the net, I have stumbled upon a plethora of data concerning Chitosan. The range of information varies from the many advertising-like websites to the few scientific articles questioning the effectiveness of this product. Overall I noticed a lack of documented evidence and of statistics confirming that Chitosan is indeed a useful product in obese patients seeking a consistent weight-loss. The main take of the articles I read was that of presenting stories of people who somewhat "miraculously" lost a ton of kilos by simply using Chitosan. But the absence of scientific trials and objective studies makes me reluctant to state that the product is actually effective. I therefore am not informed enough to answer Giovanni's question.

Searching for information on google about Chitosan, I couldn't help but notice that the scientific community has yet to pronunce itself in a definitive and clear way about this product. Though it has to be noted that various articles reported stories of patients who owe  to Chitosan major weight losses, it can't be said that the info was counterbalanced by an equal amount of scientific data. Chitosan is widely advertised all around the web as "a magic, easy and fast way to get the body you always dreamed of", and I must say that is oddly suspicious and makes me prone to think of the product as nothing more than a fraud. However I haven't gathered sufficient reliable information to state that for sure Chitosan doesn't work, hence Giovanni's question remains unanswered.

I have to admit that I am very much biased when it comes to patients saying they found on the internet a magical remedy for all their aches and pains. Although it is regrettably common for people to stumble upon frauds of any kind, as medical students and future doctors, we really want to carefully evaluate any situation and scenarios, in order not to give wrong advices based upon our prejudices. Surprisingly, looking for the query “chitosan” on the internet gives you an astounding number of hits. I though this was going to be the umpteenth commercial product that promises you miraculous results, when in fact it has no effect other than wasting your money, and in fact, so it has been. As we all know, chitin is a biopolymer made of N-acetylglucosamine molecules in β-1,4 linkage as well as the main component of exoskeletons of arthropods, and chitosan is obtained by treating it with substances like alkali and sodium hydroxide. There are a lot of information you can get from a simple search on Google, yet we have to consider that very often the majority of people don’t have enough knowledge and common sense to pick up the right information, not to mention the ability to understand scientific reviews. On the other hand, if you are a researcher, medical student, doctor or a person with a minimum of grey matter, scientific and English knowledge, (unfortunately, not every medical student does) you won’t certainly have problems entering your queries and understanding the vast amount of information you are provided by databases and search engines such as Medline and PubMed. Thanks to this very latter one, I found some interesting reviews and clinical trials upon cutting-edge usage of derived compounds of chitosan: it is used to improve oral absorption of P-gp substance drugs¹; it has shown antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus² (in vitro); it also has shown safety and efficacy in the prevention of postoperative peristomal adhesions³. Coming back to Google, I luckily found a few reliable websites into which are meticulously described the uses of this biopolymer, even thought on closer view you can notice that very few provides you a list of scientific reviews regarding the effectiveness of chitosan: actually, I only found one⁴. There is possible evidence that chitosan is effective for: treatment of periodontitis and kidney failure; reduction of scar formation during the wound healing process after plastic surgery⁴. On the other hand, I did not find nor in PubMed, Medline, Google nor in any other search engine or reliable resource, an evidence for chitosan to be effective for weight loss. By contrast, an enormous amount studies shows chitosan is of little or no effectiveness to lose weight. I therefore absolutely recommend Giovanni not to waste his money for such an ineffective usage of chitosan, until proven contrary. At any rate, although my prejudice has been confirmed, studies shows there are lots of medical applications for derived compounds of chitosan, and this is a further warning to not to underestimate any situation we will eventually come face to face during our career.

REFERENCES

1)    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27198856

2)    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27185132

3)    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26705233

4)    http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-625-chitosan.aspx?activeingredientid=625

Searching about Chitosan on Internet I found a lot of different and contrasting information some of which are too superficial and some too complex to understand for a person that don’t study medicine. However reading the results of different trials I wouldn’t recommend Chitosan to Giovanni or nobody else with weight problems because most of them show that it is ineffective to weight loss purposes.   

Surfing on internet, I found a lot of informations about chitosan but websites use a scientific and so difficult language that maybe most of people can't understand. I've read that it has lots of benefits, for example, it reduce cholesterol but in my opinion people shouldn't take it too much.

Looking for some information about chitosan on the Internet, unfortunately I didn't find nothing that could make me able to answer Giovanni's question.

Some sites stress chitosan's features as somehing "magical" and innovative that could take into change the life of anyone with obesity problems, thanks to its ability to bind fats before they are metabolized in the stomach, by creating a sort of gel-wrapper around the single lipid particles. In this way these particles could be brought out with urination or defecation. Other sites, instead, stress the collateral effects of chitosan just because it could influence vitamins (A, E, K, D) and fat acids absorption; it could reduce the benefical effects of anticoagulants, antidiabetic and contraceptive drugs, seriously compromising health; it also could cause gastrointestinal problems and rushes. 

Now I think that's quite clear that, as it always happens when someone surfs on the Internet, there are surely many different and confusing data that could take into trap anyone who doesn't understand a lot about medicine and biochemical mechanisms, typical of our body. 

Due to 'information overload' it is easy for patients who search for information on the web to end up quite misinformed or disoriented.

I started my search from scientific based articles and reviews that describe the properties and application of Chitosan. I found them complete but surely not easy for everyone.

Next I went on with the information given by Chitosan suppliers and manufacturers which,of course,is mainly for commercial purposes and underline its benefits even in renal pathologies.Then I tried some keywords like 'side effects,interaction,warnings' and found out about negative effects.

I ended my research with articles about the many different scientific studies involving Chitosan. As a lot of results seem not to support the various claims of Chitosan,I would inform Giovanni about these results,warn him against some possible side effects and insist on a healthier life style and habits.

In my research I've first written on google "chitosan" and my results included scientific definitions and also commercial sites selling this product ; I've also found sites which invite people to ''get informed" or "know more and be sure" but in none of these sites was mentioned the necessity to consult a doctor. I also couldn't find discussion forum about this product, which in my opinion can be an important method of judgment about quality and effectiveness. the final impression is that a generic definition and the promise to lose weight easily and without apparent risks can induce people to buy the product without feeling the necessity to request a specific consultation or inquire adequately. 

Surfing on Google, I’ve found information about “Chitosan”.

Chitosan is a sugar that is obtained from the hard outer skeleton of shellfish, is used for medicine, to treat obesity and high cholesterol. 

It is also used to treat complications that “tired blood” (anemia), loss of strength and appetite, and trouble sleeping (insomnia) . On some web pages informations are explained very well, in other web pages I found only commercial informations like sellers and prices and where to find offers about this product. Naturally, here informations are for 90% built to attract the customer, promising to eliminate fat directly into the stomach before they are assimilated by the body , loss of weight from the second day  and also to allow to decrease the cholesterol level . 

I 've not found the possible side effects, but I would encourage Giovanni to try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, avoiding to take “Chitosan. 

Chitosan, pharmaceutical product, is presented as a natural food supplement that can control your weight as well as the standard of colestrerolo because it binds and prevent fat absorption. Is presented as a real commercial product, it promises rapid and lasting weight loss. On the indications we never hear of side effects just about aid to wellness, weight loss and beauty of the physical. Continuing with the search, between consumer information, there is one that Chitosan does not in any way replace the treatment prescribed by a doctor, so do not heal. This creates confusion in the patient. The confusion becomes total when you go looking for reviews of doctors and patients; both the ones than the others appear to be discordant: someone talks about the miraculous properties of the drug while others only the side effects. All this leads me to believe the illegal drug for the purposes of weight loss and rather harmful to health and the psyche of the pazient.

Trying on some of the websites, I found that chitosan is defined as a natural dietary supplement that can control our weight and cholesterol level because it binds and prevents the absorption of fat; It's described , therefore, as an effective method for the rapid weight loss, but in other sites, however,  are described only the negative effects that involves this sugar. However, I'd recommend at John to not make use of certain substances to lose weight, but to adopt a good lifestyle based on healthy eating and plenty of exercise.

Surfing the web I have found a lot of different opinions about the use of "Chitosan".

First of all I have noticed it has different names, so changing web site you can find it is referred to 

as "Ascorbate de Chitosane", "Chitosan Ascorbate" and so on. It is a polysaccharide.  It can be used in agriculture as a seed treatment, it can help plants to fight off fungal infection, at the same time it is also used to treat obesity, high cholesterol, and Crohn’s disease or even“tired blood".For the treatment of obesity a lot of web sites, including medical ones, refer to chitosan as a fibrous substance that might block absorption of dietary fat and cholesterol. 

However for what I have seen I have to say it is very difficult to find an univocal and certain interpretation: the opinions are too far apart. 

I searched on the net news and information about “Chitosano” and I didn’t find anything for sure. There are many studies and evidence about it, the more information refers to its use for weight loss. However I research more carefully and I found that Chitosano (a polysaccharide) absorbs the fats but does not guarantee weight loss. Infact, studies conducted on both men and women didn’t prove its weight loss effect, indeed, in most cases, it was null. Referring to the Giovanni’s case my conclusion is “prevention is better than cure”, all of us have to maintain a certain diet, eating healthy, and try to do as much movement as we possible. Obviously in the limits, with an obese person we can also intervene pharmacologically even surgically (if you need to) but trying, however, to balance your diet and get moving!

Surfing on Google, I found that Chitosan is a chemically processed form of Chitin, a cellulose-like biopolymer found mainly in the exoskeleton of shellfish.
It has many applications, including food, cosmetics, biomedical and pharmaceutical. It is used to treat gum disease and kidney failure, since some research suggests that Chitosan may reduce high cholesterol, help to correct "tired blood" (anemia), and improve physical strength, appetite, and sleep in people with kidney failure who are receiving long-term hemodialysis. Secondly, there are insufficient evidences for Crohn's desease, high cholesterol (it seems to lower cholesterol in people with or without it) and obesity, but taking Chitosan, without cutting calories, doesn’t seem to cause weight loss. Furthermore, I found some side effects: when taken by mouth, Chitosan might cause mild stomach upset, constipation, or gas, and there is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking it if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. It also can cause shellfish allergy.
I did not find many scientific and trustworthy evidences, so as a doctor I need to search for more hits to get a complete idea. In any case, based on this information, I should not recommend Chitosan to Giovanni.

Surfing on Internet I have found a lot of information about chitosan. It is a long polysaccharide got from chitin, which is a component of the shell's crustaceans. It is promoted because it has effects on the weight, reducing it. Chitosan, by a chemical bond with fats, can prevent their absorption. However this effect has not scientific evidence, moreover it is very expensive. So i would like to dissuade Giovanni to use Chitosan and i suggest him to do exercise; a good lifestyle is the best solution.

Surfing on Google, I searched some information about Chitosan. At first I visited some scientific sites to understand what this drug is and what its proprieties are. I found out that it is already used in many commercial and biomedical applications, but scientist are still working to verify the dietetic potentialities of this drug.  
In a second moment, I run up into more commercial sites which could attract the attention of people with their tempting advertisement. I think that this kind of information is not trustworthy and I would warn Giovanni about that, explaining him that for the moment the best solution to lose weight is an healthy lifestyle, with an hypocaloric diet and physical exercises. 

I made my research surfing on Google, and results have been quite discordant. Some of the sites describe Chitosan's chemical structure, and they prove that it joins lipids and absorbs them; anyway, the scientific community is still doing researches on it. At the moment, it is possible to say that Chitosan may help in order to lose weight, but only if associated with regular exercise and a low-calorie diet.

I have done my online research about Chitosano starting from Google. I've consulted several web sites, with different level of detail, and there is just one constant: contradiction. According to someones, Chitano is a miraculous substance that can keep fats and prevent them from being absorbed; somebody else support that Chitosano have not a certified effect as weight-loss drug, and it can interfere with absorption of vitamins, other drugs, or cause gastrointestinal disorders. Anyway, I think it's very difficult to search information about safety care on the internet, especially if you do not have a deep knowledge of the subject.

Internet was a real revolution because it allowed people getting a lot of information about everything, but it is important taking them with the correct precautions. In fact the information are often incomplete or incorrect and in other cases there should be necessary preliminary skills to understand them in a correct way. So, surfing the net, i found a lot of information about chitosan, that is employed in many ways. Chitosan derives from chitin, a polysaccharide that composes the external shells. It is an element in shampoos and also used to purify the sea water from petroleum because of its characteristic to attract and block fatty substances. For this last feature it can be used as supplement in Medicine to lose weight because it links lipids and prevents their assimilation in the intestine. This is possibile because chitosan is not digested by human beings, so it is completely eliminated with faeces. On the net, people can find and buy chitosan. Although, on one hand it is not proved its real efficacy and the loss of weight is very low or inexistent, on the other hand the others think that chitosan is efficient. So there are discordant information. I read on the net about the other benefits of chitosan on our body, but at the end of all, i realized that there are a lot of information, sometimes partially correct, because there is often a commercial purpose behind them.

Surfing on the web I found many commercial sites presenting Chitosan as a loss weight miracolous drug , thanks to its fats bonding properties. The only evidences about chitosan efficiency provided by these sites are based on patients loss weight stories. That can not be a scientific evidence which confirm the effective functioning of Chitosan. on the other hand , some sites provide the description of the composition , the metabolism and the effects of Chitosan but they are hard to understand to people who don't have specific medical knowledges and even if these sites seem more “scientific” I can't consult any statistical study or real documented evidence that could or not confirm the efficiency and the safety of Chitosan. On internet you find several informations , and most of them are contradictory, some say "chitosan is a miracle drug" and other say " it is totally useless if it is not related to a reduced calories diet". On the base of informations found on the web I'm not able to solve Giovanni's question.

Surfing on google I looked for information about food supplements based on chitosan which I have been told about. I searched PubMed in order to tell you more.  Despite the use of Chitosan is touted as a possible slimming remedy and as a substance able to reduce fat absorption  and sense of hunger , recent clinical studies conducted on both obese men and women did not confirmed the maximum benefit . according to some experts they have no effects. None of any company that sells such products has never distributed scientific material proving such properties. The cost is also excessive in my opinion. Additionally, there are still minimal side effects mainly manifested through rashes, hives, bloating and headaches. However, there is to add that these symptoms are usually not long-lasting and not raise particular attention.  Finally the chitosan, taken together with other drugs, can lead to more side effects, perhaps like pain in the chest. I would suggest to reflect carefully about  the pros and cons.

Surfing on internet I found a lot of different informations about Chitosan.
Many websites are really specific and complex to understand for many people without medical knowledge. Other commercial sites are too superficial and they present the product as a weight-loss drug. In my opinion these sites could “deceive” people because they don't give confirmations on Chitosan’s real capabilities and they are based only on patients stories. 
Anyway I found that Chitosan could have properties in absorbing fat but I couldn’t find a scientific confirmation. So I think that only with informations collected I am not informed enough to answer Giovanni's question.

Searching on Google I found lots of informations. The real problem is that all of them were different and sometime really wrong. If you're not a medicine student or someone that study these things, you can trust and follow some wrong and dangerous advise. I read people's and at the same time medical's opinions about 'Chitosan'. I think it's not a good way to fight against a big problem as the overweight is. There are hundreds way to lose weight probably faster I know but the best one is in your mind, you only (even if it's the most difficult part) have to find it.

Surfing the intenet on Google, I found out that Chitosan is a substance developped from shellfish chitin and it seems to help to reduce fat absorption in the intestine. The kind of information that I found is coming from farmaceutic or gym supplements websites and it's clear that Chitosan can be used to help people to loose weight in body fat percentage. The quality of the information is not homogeneous: sometimes it's too complicated or it's too simple because the website does not tell about adverse reactions deriving from the use of Chitosan such as gastrointestinal issues, skin problems and nutritional shortages.

By surfing The internet i understood that is too difficult, for people who don't know anything about medicine and macromolecular's world, say "well, this is true" or "no, this isn't". The informations about chitosan are more or less the same that my colleagues found on web. Some websites talk about this drug like the perfect solution to weight problem; another site talks about chitosan as biopesticide helping plants to fight off fungal infections. As we can see there are too many informations about this product, but honestly i don't know how truthful they are. 

I did my research on Google about Chitosan and I must admit that it’s easy to find a lot of conflicting information. I found that chitosan is a polysaccharide, which is formed by treating the chitin, generally obtained from crustacean shells. In the industrial field, Chitosan is used to purify sea water, exploiting its ability to attract oily compounds such as petroleum. This feature makes chitosan a particularly interesting substance also in the medical field. In fact, this fiber, that our body is not able to digest, binds fat, favoring their elimination in the feces. This substance is therefore used to make products for overweight people but, actually, any company that sells such products has never distributed scientific material proving such properties. So, probably, I should conclude that there is the risk that pure commercial purposes hide behind these informations and inexperienced people could easily fall into these traps. In short, I could not check its efficiency and safety, therefore, I deduce that my research is not sufficient to answer Giovanni’s question.

I've searched on internet about chitosan but I've found discordant results. First of all is fundamental to open reliable sites in order to make sure about the information written in it. In a scientist site, I've found out that chitosan is a polysaccharide derived by chitin and it's able to bound lipids in our stomach. But opening other sites it's written only that chitosan is a sort of integrator that makes you loose your weight, without showing how it works or what're the negative effects. I think that internet is an enemy for future doctors because patients tend to search on internet every little symptom they have and then they arrived to the doctor sure about their own diagnosis. So I think that people should go directly to their doctor and talk with him about their problem in order to find a certain solution.

I've searched some informations on the web to find an answer to Giovanni's question about chitosan. I believe that people without a scientific knowledge fall into the trap of the multinational pharmaceutical industry that promote chitosan as a "miracolous product, a special fiber with unparalleled qualities to lose weight". These sentences are certainly not scientific!!!! But there are also "scientific" explications about chitosan's action: it binds fats, prevent their accumulation and allows their elimination in the feces. However, I can not accept as true this informations because I have not found scientific data or proven medical opinions that can confirm the properties of chitosan in losing weight.

At the same time, i have read opinions against its use as it is told it has not real effects on the loss of weight.

Finally, it is evident that there are many different data which can confuse and take into trap anyone who does not know the processes, which are the basis of the functioning of the body, because they are a mixture of scientific data and presentations of the products for commercial aims. So it is difficult to have a clear and single opinion about Chitosan's effectiveness, for this reason i think that my search can't answer Giovanni's question.

Chitosan is linear polysaccharide extracted from the shells of shrimps, lobster and crab. It is a strong fatty acid emulsifier and an antimicrobial agent tested in sperimental biomedicine. Although our bodies produce emulsifier such as bile acids, they promote fatty acids’ absorption. At first the scientists think that chitosan could reduce this process but with the same chimical skills of bile acids. Studies of human experimentation certify only a late absorption and not a reduced ones. It is now used to treat obesity but, for new researches, only associated to a specific diet. It is not useful using chitosan like a normal slimming: many times people, who don’t care of their lifestyle, think they can eat like everyday taking this prodouct. The drugs’ mechanism is linked to a correct way of life that we can traduce in doing activities about health and sport. So chitosan, as many drugs, helps our wellness but with a good patient’s compliance.

Surfing on internet, i found a variety of information about the chitosan. It is a polysaccharide derived from chitin that has the ability to absorb fats favoring their elimination. Other sites say that the chitosan is used as a supplement to lose weight, without explaining its negative effects. So it is used to treat obesity. Some sites use a scientific language that most of the people don't understand. This confuses people because they think to find the solution of their problems. They believe they can take the chitosan without changing their lifestyle. This is wrong! So, i think that taking this product must be associated with a correct and healthy lifestyle.

All the Information found on chitosan is very controversial.

This substance has been tested and approved for biomedical useses. But as I have discovered surfing the net there is a poor evidence that this product is useful for patients who intend to loose weight. More research is needed. Of course the product is commericialized as a miracolous elisir but we have to be very cautious. So at the moment I wouldn't suggest Giovanni using this drug.

I found very interesting research on the internet Giovanni's problem. Though a bit complicated for those who still is not a doctor but functional for students being doctor.Chitosan eliminates fat directly into the stomach before they are assimilated by the body ,Loss of weight from the second day ,It protects the liver and strengthens the immune system ,It allows to decrease the cholesterol level .

Searching on the web, I found out some discordant informations about chitosan. 

Some commercial websites state that chitosan has anti-obesogenic potentials, but on PubMed I read that these properties have been demonstrated just on pigs, and that there are not proved effects on men. This may be because obesity is caused by many factors, it does not only depend on the intake of fats and their absorption.

Anyway, it is certain that it binds fats, so it can prevent from the absorption of lipo-soluble vitamins.

I do not know if I would recommend it to an obese patient.

Surfing the Internet on Google I read that Chitosan is a polysaccharide obtained from Chitin, a component of the exoskeletons of crustaceaus. Chitosan has many properties: it's used in cosmetics, it's used to improve the effectiveness of medicines, but its primary purpose is to reduce the assimilation of the lipids at intestinale level. There are really too many information that can be deceptive for a person that doesn't know the human physiology. Moreover there is no scientific evidence about the use of Chitosan in weight loss. Mandatory to seek medical advice not to endanger one's health.

Surfing on Google I have found out many sites That Talk about Chitosan . It is a polysaccharide derived from chitin , one of the components of shellfish exoskeletons , used in low - calories diets because it make the fat absorption slower .Although the scientists are still not sure about the potential effects ,the sites Which sell the drugs make it look like a magical remedy to convince to buy that product. 

Doing a web search I found that chitosan is a substance derived from chitin present in the shell of crustaceans. Its main characteristic is to reduce the absorption of fats in the intestine. It is obtained through a deacetylation process and is a biocompatible product that can be metabolize by the body without problems. It's hypoallergenic, non-toxic, biodegradable, antibacterial and poorly permeable to oxygen. I noticed that this product is currently the focus of attention for its presumed slimming properties that have increased production and sale of the pharmaceutical industries. The main mechanism of chitosan's action is the ability to bind fat and oily substances promoting their elimination. According to many experts taking chitosan orally trough special supplements reduces the absorption of fat ingested through diet. Also it seems to be helpful to decrease hunger. While there is no scientific confirmation on real utility of chitosan in many web sites is described almost as a miracle product that can reduce weight in a short time. For people who are not expert or do not have medical knowledge just like Giovanni it is easy to believe the numerous advertising campaigns that circulate on the web. Very often people run the risk of taking dangerous drugs because they follow websites without asking the opinion of a competent physician. So I would explain to Giovanni to pay attention to news circulating on the web and that the usefulness of chitosan is questionable and not fully reliable. 

It is possible to find lots of information on the internet about everything we desire, even about drugs or medicine which we think could help us in solving our problem. 
I imagined i was Giovanni’s GP and began surfing on the Internet using Google. 
What is easy to learn about “chitosano” in all the pages I examined, is its chemical composition and its general use. I could also easily find lots of advertisements and sites which sell chitosan pills as a “miracle” for weight loss as a natural product that bind fat and cholesterol in the digestive tract. 
At the same time, I noticed that the are no evidence or clinical trials that show relevant results in weight loss and demonstrate that may aid in the support of healthy body weight. 
As all of us know, the internet is full of false informations and frauds, so i think that as a GP, i could not answer Giovanni’s question because, in lack of clinical data, I wouldn’t be sure of the effectiveness of that drug.

I've searched informations on Google about Chitosan and I've found a lot of results. Chitosan has a lot of biomedical but also other uses: it could be used in agriculture as a seed treatment and biopesticide, in winemaking as a fining agent, also helping to prevent spoilage. In industry, it could be used in a self-healing polyurethane paint coating. In medicine, it may be useful in bandages to reduce bleeding and as an antibacterial agent; it can also be used to help deliver drugs through the skin. Wikipedia says that Chitosan could be used as a fat binder, which inhibited duodenal lipid adsorption.
However, searching articles about Chitosan on PubMed, I didn't find anything about Chitosan fat binder use. But it could be used for an example in tissue engineering, and as antitumor polyamine analogue.

According to Internet researches, I found a lot of different information about Chitosan.

Lots of scientific web site offers complex and difficult explanation of what this polysaccharide is .

On the other hand, lots of websites talk about the weight loss property of Chitosan, but no one of these information are scientific.

For this reason I think that I’m not able to answer to Giovanni’s question.

Searching on Google, I discover that Chitosan is a polysaccharide derived by chitin, a fundamental scructural polymer of arthropods' esoskeleton and  fungus' cell wall. It is used to treat obesity, high cholesterol and also Chron's desease, but on internet there aren't enough informations about its efficacy and especially about its collateral effects; so a patients can not doing a correct analysis of vantages and disadvantages of this product and I couldn't give him a throught answer and suggest with certainty its use.

Typing "chitosan" and doing a google research I've found that chitosan is a polysaccharide obtained by treating shells of crustaceans with an alkaline substance. It is widely used in many different fields, from medicine to agriculture. It has recently been tested as a way to treat people going on a diet for losing weight but its effect is actually bland and, as everyone should know, the first way to effectively lose weight is following a healthy lifestyle and, in case of particular conditions such as thyroid disfunctions, eating or metabolic disorders etc..., receive a medical treatment. 

Moreover the net can be very misleading, especially for who lacks of basical knowledge about, in this case, medicine. Chitosan is often overrated, as some people affirm that it's able to "absorbe fats", making readers belive to be free to overeat. 

After my search I found that "Chitosan" is a polysaccharide, derived from chitin, which can be used for many purposes including weight loss. It's able to reduce the intake of fats eaten, allowing their elimination in the feces. But it can't be used for a long time because you can create problems of malnutrition or deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins, also it can't be taken with other medicines because it may prevent the action. So it's important to pay attention, always consult your doctor and don't take this supplement feed autonomously. 

Surfing on Google I’ve found that Chitosan is a complex linear amico co-polymer, derived form the N-deacetylation form of Chitin. Chitin is a structural polymer of the anthropoids exoskeleton.

Chitosan is extracted from the hard shells of shrimps or other crustaceans. While Chitosan has many different uses, it supposedly also helps limiting the amount of fat our bodies are able to absorbe from the food we eat. There are some discordant theories about the effects that Chitosan could have: in fact it can lead to complications dangerous for the health like, for example, deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins.

People have to pay attention and consult a doctor before using that.

Chitosan is extracted from the hard crustaceans shells and it has many different uses. It’s from the N-deacetylation form of Chitin, a structural polymer of the anthropoids exoskeleton. It is useful to limit the fats our bodiy absorbes by eating. Unfortunately, someone thinks it can provoke fat-soluble vitamins deficiency. Patients should pay attention and consult a doctor before using chitosan.

The first thing I noticed after Googling about chitosan is the lack of documented evidences. As usual, some sites advertise it as the ultimate drug for weight loss and others say that it has very little or even no effect on weight (although it could be useful to lower blood cholesterol levels because of its lipids binding capability), but no one provides references to evidence based studies. Even a site which is usually considered reliable by a lot of medical students refers to chitosan's "scientifically proven" effect on weight loss without going into further details about that proofs. Even if a doctor can tell whether an information is valid or not, he may have trouble convincing the patient that the informations he read on the Internet are not as scientifically valid as they should.

Surfing the net, I've found many information about Chitosan. It is a linear polysaccharide that has been asserted to have use in limiting fat absorption, which would make it useful for dieting. But there are many evidence against this. So, Chitosan's real effect was not approved by scientific community. Despite this, there are many sites that advertise Chitosan as a "miraculous" therapy and the solution of any obesity problems. So, I understand how many common people, less of medical knowledge and scientific skills, could fall into a possible web "trap".

Surfing the net and googling 'Chitosan', I found out that it is extracted from crustaceans' hard shells and it has many different uses. It’s from the N-deacetylation form of Chitin, a structural polymer of the anthropoids exoskeleton. It is useful to limit the fats our body absorbes by eating. Unfortunately, someone thinks it can cause fat-soluble vitamins deficiency. Patients should pay attention and consult a doctor before using chitosan.

As you can imagine,surfing on Google we can find a lot of information about "Chitosan". Firstly ,in my research, I tried to understand what Chitosan is and how it works . I visited  some scientific and commercial sites. It's presented as a polymer similar to cellulose ,used not only in slimming practices, which capture lipids introduced in the intestine. However,not all scientists agree on the effects of Chitosan, there are a lot of discordant informations, so because the information we possess aren't entirely trustworthy, as a physician I would warn Giovanni,i wouldn't recommend to use Chitosan but i would suggest to practice physical activity and health eating.

I've done some searching regarding Giovanni's question surfing on google. I first discovered what constitutes. Chitosan is a polysaccharide which is obtained by treating the chitin. Its main characteristic is to reduce the absorption of fats in the intestine. For this it is use for weight loss. Reading comments emerges as there could be side effects that may underestimated especially in deciding not to seek a medical advice. In conclusion, there isn't the scientific confirmation on slimming function of Chitosan. Indeed, many theories strongly questioning.

Firstly I've searched chitosan on Google, it's a linear polysaccharide derived from chitin, it can be used for different purposes, in particular is described as a drug for weight loss, in particular it's useful to limit fats in our stomach. Neverless no research was proven scientifically and many sites were both contradictory.

Surfing on Google, I found a bit of information about “Chitosan”.
It is a polysaccharid made by treating the chitin shells of shrimp and other crustaceans with an alkaline substance.
It seems to have several uses in biomedical areas: it can be used in agriculture (as a biopesticide), in winemaking (as a fining agent), in  medicine (it may be useful in bandages to reduce bleeding and as an antibacterial agent).
Concerning the use of “Chitosan” as a possible solution for weight loss, I found very few scientific and trustworthy evidence of its effectiveness. Despite the promise made by Pharmaceutical marketing about its miraculous outcomes, it doesn't take much to see that is very unlikely to be true. By the way, a Cochrane study on "Chitosan" found that «body weight, blood pressure and cholesterol-related parameters changed only in some low-quality trials, indicating a minor effect on body weight»1.
Taking these elements into account, IMO there is no clinical justification for advising Giovanni to take chitosan supplements. I suggest him the classic, slow but effective remedy: a low-calorie diet and regular phisical activity.

 1[ Jull, Andrew B; Ni Mhurchu, Cliona; Bennett, Derrick A; Dunshea-Mooij, Christel AE; Rodgers, Anthony (2008). Jull, Andrew B, ed. "Chitosan for overweight or obesity".Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (3): CD003892.doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003892.pub3. PMID 18646097.]

I have been surprised from the results I found surfing the net looking for notices about Chitosano and its effects. Some websites use a too scientific language to be understood by people didn't study medicine, other websites contain too informations about individual experiences, without scientific evidences, however, the most common thing I saw is that almost all websites use a title to increase the popularity and the marketing of the product rather its real effects. People often read the only title rather the whole abstract, so it might leads to wrong thoughts because title doesn't explain the real effects. Reading several whole abstracts, I found that Chitosano is a lipides linker that reduces the intestinal absorption, but it isn't enough to help to lose weight if not associated to an ipocaloric diet and to physical activity. 

Surfing on internet I found some interesting facts about chitosan. It is used because it is thought that it has weight loss effects making the fat absorption slower. This theory is discordant because some say it actually works while others deny. I red it can lead to complications dangerous for the healt. Also,it is quite pricey. I don't believe in the efficacy of a drug who makes you loose fat without leading to side effects so I don't believe in its efficacy. The best way to loose fat is to follow ah healthy and hypochaloric diet while exercise.

I found many information about Chitosans, but using common search engines I couldn't trace any information with some proved scientific value. Evrery veracity is justified with sentences as "many experts/scientists say" or "many researches affirms", obviously without citing any source. This kind of informations are comparable to wives' hearsay: maybe true, maybe not, maybe partially; published to attract people looking for easy solution.

As a doctor, I cannot answer to Giovanni's question.

I've searched for "Chitosan" on Google, the first websites are: www.wikipedia.org, a free online encyclopedia and www.liderfarma.com, a commercial site. 

Liderfarma sells this  supplement with miraculous properties: to monitor weight and cholesterol, to protect the liver and streghthen the immune system.

If Giovanni reads these information, he could be cheated but if only he reads from wikipedia, he can found there is evidence against this and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warning letters to supplement retailers who made inappropriate claims about the supposed health benefits of using chitosan.

Surfing on Google, what it is clear is that chitosan is a linear polysaccharide made by treating the chitin. This product has a lot of good properties, infact it's used in agriculture, winemaking and so on. Neverthless, its medical potential in loss weight is not that clear.. some websites say it's a miraculous drug, because it helps in binding the fat so that it's not absorbed; others say that this capacity is not scientifically proved. So, if I were Giovanni's doctor, I would not recommend chitosan.

I think it's dangerous to surf on the internet searching information about drugs, especially for people who are not expert about medicine. However, surfing on Google, I found that 'Chitosan' is a linear polysaccharide that derives from treatment of chitin shelles of crustaceans with an alkaline substance. That drug can be used with the aim of reducing fat absorption. But I prefer not to trust information on the internet too much. 

Searching on Google I found out that Chitosan is a linear polysaccharide that is made by treating the chitin shells of shrimp and other crustaceans with an alkaline substance, like sodium hydroxide. It has several uses such as in agricolture, in winemaking and many others. It is also used in medicine as an antibacterial agent, to reduce bleeding, and to reduce fat absorption. However, I think it's important to talk with your own GP before taking any kind of drug, because you can't actually know its collateral effect and complications. Many times trying to solve problems surfing on the Internet isn't always a good idea and can be very dangerous.

Surfing on Google it’s surprising how many websites tell about the miraculous effects of Chitosan as a slimming medicine that binds the fat ingested limiting their absorption.

On the contrary, many other websites quote research studies that indicate that Chitosan is useless as slimming medicine. I think it’s very difficult for the patients orientate in the sea of information that can be found on the internet without a medical training. GP have to help patients to discern true information from false ones using PubMed or Medline for the search for evidence.

Searching about “Chitosan” on the net, I found some interesting results: first of all  is a linear polysaccharide, made by treating the chitin shells of shrimp and other crustaceans with an alkaline substance, like sodium hydroxide. It has a lot of uses but according to Wikipedia, Chitosan has been asserted to have use in limiting fat absorption, which would make it useful for dieting, but there is evidence against this. However I think, Google isn’t so reliable to find information like this, specially it’s difficult if you don’t know medical terms.

At first I’ve used Google, typing “chitosan” looking for websites that are, in my opinion, worthy. I tend to avoid Wikipedia because it’s not always reliable, but in the end I checked also on that. The first site I’ve read is called “Science Direct” and I found many information about it: its crustaceans’ origin, its fields of application and the work of P. Austin, S. Tokura and S. Hirano (that we can search on Pubmed). That’s not enough, I haven’t read about its physiological skills, so I found LongLife (that sounds me more like a commercial try) and I’ve learned a little more about it. Chitosan reduces the absorption of lipids by the intestine and it promotes their excretion.

Chitosan is a polymer of D-glucosamine, can also be achieved for alkaline deacetylation of chitin. It is used in many dietary supplements within slimming diets. According to studies decreases the absorption of fats and cholesterol. There are conflicting news on the Internet, some are unreliable sites without any kind of certification, others are in articles that from a scientific point of view have a language too complex and incomprehensible to anyone who is not experienced in this area. the only news that constitutes a common point in the various sites is that it is not a magic potion for weight loss and its effects are inconsistent if not associated with a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and adequate exercise. It is difficult to give an answer that is unique and definitive only doing internet searches because it's hard to realize what is really reliable. Common sense is the key, get an idea and then discuss it with your doctor who can give an answer and indications which have really reliable.

Surfing the internet I found an unbelievable number of results about "Chitosan", which made it extremely difficult to orientate. Some websites are very compelling about the benefits of the product, but only because of their commercial purpose. This websites don't give real medical information. On the other hand the majority of scientific sites use a language that is too specific to be undestood by average people. So it's hard to find reliable information. 

Anyway, I found out that Chitosan is a linear polysaccharide made by treating crustaceans and shells with alkaline substance. It is used in many fields (e.g. agricolture) with success, but its miraculous properties in medicine are debated: it may be useful in reducing fat absorption by binding them, but there's no scientific evidence yet. And it also has side effects as allergic reactions, for instance.

 In conclusion I would suggest that Giovanni should talk with his GP and follow his advice.

The first kind is the Wikipedia or another educational encyclopedia type; this result is a neutral one, it gives the information without trying to sell you anything. It also usually quotes its sources, but it can't be trusted that much because it can be edited by anyone. It isn't exactly scientific but it can be useful though to get a general idea of what we are talking about. It also usually uses quite a simple-to-understand language, which makes it more understandable for patients.

The second one is the type which is trying to sell you the product; this kind of website isn't really scientific, nor really trustworthy. It just tries to sell you the product in every possible way stating how miraculous it is. Most people don't fall straight for it, but some sadly do. 

The third one is the scientific type; it gives all the scientific right information, but it's really difficult to understand for people who are not expert in this field, so this kind is usually overlooked by patients. For a doctor, however, it should be enough to answer Giovanni's question in a scientific and evidence based fashion.

Then there is the most dangerous one, the forum/blog type; in this type of website, everybody shares their thoughts in the most non-scientific manner. But unfortunately, this is the kind of information patients trust the most because they find there is a real person they can ask and trust.

I think all this disorganized information can be really confusing for patients, who can fall easily into commercial traps, but it shouldn't be for doctors, who should be able to distinguish between scientific trustworthy information and scammy commercial websites. 

Giovanni’s case

Giovanni is a 53-year old Italian truck driver and has a problem with his weight. His father died of a heart attack at 64 yo .

The General Practitioner gave him advice on how to lose weight but without success. Despite his obesity he is in good health.

Giovanni asks his family doctor for information about Chitosan, a fat blazer recommended by his wife.

The GP decides to do an internet search.

Searching on Google “chitosan” or “fat blazer” he gets millions of unspecific and without scientific validity results which express positive feedback.

However, the information obtained from chitosan in scientifically accredited databases such as the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), part of the United States National Library of Medicine (NLM), is quite different.

The ability to inhibit the absorption of fat and lower cholesterol is not sufficiently supported by scientific evidence. A work has shown that "the effect of chitosan on fat absorption is clinically negligible. Far from being a fat trapper, at 0.11 +/- 0.18 g of fat trapped for 0.45-g capsules or 1.1 g (9.9 kcal) fat trapped per day , This product would have no significant effect on energy balance. "¹

Another abstract has revealed that "the fat trapped was clinically insignificant. For men, it would take more than 7 months to lose 1 pound of body fat. For women, no fat was trapped. This product, as with other similar products, fails to meet claims."²

In addition, a "modest weight loss of 5 to <10% was associated with significant improvements in CVD (cardiovascular disease) risk factors at 1 year, but larger weight losses had greater benefits". “Data supporting this recommendation are limited, particularly for individuals with type 2 diabetes. "³

In conclusion the GP should advise against using Chitosan since ineffective and, considering John's family history, should make him aware that a weight loss of 5 to 10% entails an increase in blood pressure. Therefore in slimming case he should undergo medical examinations, at least in the first year.

References:

1.         Gades MD, Stern JS. Chitosan supplementation and fecal fat excretion in men. Obes Res. 2003;11(5):683–8. doi: 10.1038/oby.2003.97. [PubMed] [Cross Ref]

2.         Gades MD, Stern JS. Chitosan supplementation and fat absorption in men and women. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105(1):72–7. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2004.10.004. [PubMed] [Cross Ref]

3.         Wing RR¹, Lang W, Wadden TA, Safford M, Knowler WC, Bertoni AG, Hill JO, Brancati FL, Peters A, Wagenknecht L. Benefits of modest weight loss in improving cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2011 Jul;34(7):1481-6. doi: 10.2337/dc10-2415.

I looked for the definition of obesity and about what is Chitosan and its uses. First of all, the obesity is the condition of being grossly fat or overweight.  Obesity results from a combination of causes and contributing factors, including individual factors such as behavior and genetics. Behaviors can include dietary patterns, physical activity, inactivity, medication use, and other exposures. Obesity is a serious concern because it is associated with poorer mental health outcomes, reduced quality of life, and the leading causes of death like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer. There are a lot of solution for the treatment of obesity like a restrictive diet or something more strong like gastric bypass, to block the ingestion of unnecessary calories. Another way is to take drugs that helps in weight loss like Chitosan.

Chitosan is a sugar that is obtained from the hard outer skeleton of shellfish. It is used to treat obesity, high cholesterol, and Crohn’s disease. It is also used to treat complications that kidney failure patients on dialysis often face, including high cholesterol, “tired blood” (anemia), loss of strength and appetite, and trouble sleeping(insomnia). It has also other uses in fields like industries and agricolture. But the studies about Chitosan aren’t sufficient to prove its uses in the weight loss, but this first studies suggest that Chitosan helps in reduction of high cholesterol and the lipid sensitivity.

The Chitosan isn’t the solution for weight loss, but in a controlled diet the use of drugs like this can be usefull for the patient.

Chitosan is a linear polysaccharide produced by treating the chitin shells of  crustaceans with varia chemical processes. 

In the stomach it easily bounds to fats preventing them from being absorbed by the small intestine and therefore it causes a significant weight loss.

By searching on google,I have noticed that the first websites that come up are the ones wanting to sell you the product (the chiosano) and only by diving deeper into the research I found some scientific websites.

The former kind of website usually doesn’t tell much about the possible adverse events caused by this product  because of its market purpose.

Although this substance is advertised as “natural” it is in fact in someway processed to obtain the final product. Furthermore,the scientific websites  regarding chitosan are not to be easily understood for people that are not experts.

In my opinion,it would be better for people not to take these kind of drugs because I don't believe in dieting medications and I’d rather suggest them to follow an healthy lifestyle and to be a little bit patient.

 As a normal patien which is searching on Google some information about "Chitosan" , for a minutes I got confused because of large numer of informations.

Generally typing "Chitosan" on Internet the first type of website that we find it's Wikipedia , which is not so trustworthy site because Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia, created and edited by volunteers around the world ,so anyone could write there . However Wikipedia could be useful to have a general view about the answer of our question.

Moving on other site I've noticed that most of them are not scientific official website but those are E-commerce websites which try to sell you the product and at same time showing some charateristic of Chitosan. Another type of websites that I found are Communities in which people share their experience about Chitosan a supplement.

Nevertheless surfing on Google the patient can find news about Chitosan which are in conflict because some site promove this supplement as a help to reduce the absorption of cholesterol and fats in foods. But at same time others sites say the opposite. Indeed they say that there are insufficiente evidence its effect in situation like High cholesterol,  Weight loss etc. 

Eventually I think that is not safe a research like this to answer Giovanni's question. For this reason all patients instead of surf the net all alone but  first they have to consult the GP.

By typing the word chitosan on google, I was able to find a lot of information: it is an organic molecule that is derived from the chitin of the crispy and has the great potential to be able to attract the fats. The articles I have read can be really deleterious to a less-respected audience in the scientific world; in fact, this product may seem an excellent alternative to diet, instead it is useful in the treatment of pathologies such as atherosclerosis and kidney failure. Many of the results of my research are scientific but many other advertisements as well, but I think that they are very valid, but not for a person who is not part of the scientific field, they can be almost dangerous. In my opinion, every patient should always consider his doctor's opinion of what he can find online, because those same information that can be sufficient for a physician, are not for a patient.

I'll search the word "chitosan" on google and i understood that it is a linear polysaccharide made by treating the chitin shells of shrimp and other crustaceans with an alkaline substance, like sodium hydroxide. it is used as an dietary supplement by fat people to help them to lose weight. I have read different informations about it and i'm confused since on google there are many articles some of which promote the product and others that highlight the negative features and this can not help an inexperienced person who is not a doctor. If i were his doctor, i'd reccommend it during a diet and i'd explain that it is a support, not a way to eat as he wants.

By typing “chitosan” on google I learned that it is a linear polysaccharide made from chitin shells of shrimp and other crustaceans, but i also found many articles that claimed contradictory reasonings. On one side, I read some pieces who were advertising chitosan like a miraculous dietary supplement that is able to reduce high cholesterol and to limit fat absorption. I think that this kind of information could be dangerous for a patient who reads it and who can’t recognize what is true from what is just advertisement. On the other side, I found some pieces that highlighted the fact that there’s no clinical evidence about the real efficiency of chitosan in weight loss and I found it a more trustworthy and honest information. In conclusion, I think that a patient should not search on internet about drugs, but he should always ask to his doctor, because trusting internet sometimes can damage his health.

My Google’s reseach about «chitosan» let me discover more about this food supplement: the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) presents it as a deacetylated chitin, a dietary supplement reported to decrease body weight adding that “it is widely available over the counter worldwide and although evaluated in a number of trials, its efficacy remains in dispute”.

As it is, this first scientific article clarifies the difficulties to understand if it is worthwhile to invest money on chitosan.

There are different opinions about its efficacy: some studies suggest that there is some evidence that chitosan is more effective than placebo in the short-term treatment of overweight and obesity but results obtained from high quality trials indicate that the effect of chitosan on body weight is minimal and unlikely to be of clinical significance and moreover that oral administration of chitosan has weak action on the reduction of triglyceride and plasma cholesterol.

On the contrary, other studies have shown the hypocholesterolemic activity of chitosan and have reported that the triglyceride and cholesterol absorption have been inhibited showing that chitosan is efficacious in facilitating the reducing body fat and weight loss in obese individuals.

So, although the big amount of studies made on this product, results seem sometimes to disagree. It does not help at all the patient that could get confused and decide to abandon the cure.

Googling the word "Chitosan", I discovered that this polysaccharide is obtained from carapaces of some crustaceans thanks to a reaction with an alkaline substance. This product can be used in different fields of modern life (e.g. to lose weight in medicine or as a seed treatment in agriculture).  I found that different kind of approaches were used by the sites: some of them were quite trustworthy and scientifical, for example wikipedia, that reported pros and cons of using chitosan as fat blazer with reference to different clinical trials. However, a large amount of other sites seemed to sponsorize the product as a panacea for all the obese people. In conclusion, the internet could be a proficuous source of information but you have also to be very smart and experienced to distinguish between good and bad results of your research.    

Surfing the internet, I've find out a lot of information about Chitosan, first of all that it's a polysaccharide derived from chitin, one of the exoskeletons of crustaceaus component and that it is used to treat obesity and other diseases like high cholesterol, loss of strenght, trouble sleeping and so on. This product may attract people due to the fact that it's a natural derivative, but there are some negatives that leave you in doubt because it's really expensive, it may cause side effects and aboveall that there are no scientific confirmations on its real capabilities,  especially on its use in reducing fat assimilation.  So, as a result of these discordant opinions, people should always follow the advise of an health care professional before making a mistake that could compromise their health. 

I did my research about chitosan on Google and found out interesting facts. This particular polysaccharide can capture potentially over 30% of fats in your intestine and it can decrease the level of glycemia and cholesterol. For this reason, it is often sold like a “magical” product, which can be the solution for your problems with obesity. However, with a deeper research about chitosan, you can discover the truth: according to a study made on 51 obese women  for 8 weeks, it is proved that none of them obtained a decrease of the level of cholesterol and they did not lose weight. This happened because chitosan can help to lose weight only if associated with a low calorific diet.

This example is important to show people that if you are not good at searching information on the internet, and if you are not an expert in medicine, you can make dangerous mistakes for your health.  Very often, the quality of the information you find online is not good as it should be and it cannot be understood properly by everyone.

I've found some information concerning  "chitosan" on google: it is a polysaccharide which comes from chitin. Several studies have confirmed that chitosan can reduce intestinal absorption of cholesterol and triglycerides; so it is used to prepare nutritional supplements in order to promote weight loss. However these theories have not been scientifically confirmed yet and people should use nutritional supplements together  with a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition and physical activity.

Tratto da http://www.my-personaltrainer.it/integratori/chitosano.html

Searching on Google I found lots of information about “Chitosan” and its effects, but I think it can be very difficult for a patient or someone else, who doesn’t have scientific and medical knowledge, to discriminate truth from falsehood. First of all, there are some websites that focus on positive and “almost miraculous” qualities of this product, like a “magnet that catches fats” and helps people to lose weight (from https://www.vitabasix.com/it/metabolismo-peso/chitosano/chitosano-informazione-scientifica.html), but only because of their commercial purposes and they create illusions in those who are full of hope and good intentions. Then, other websites are more truthful and give a wider overview on “Chitosan”, that is a linear polysaccharide made by treating the chitin of the crustaceans’ exoskeletons with chemical processes. Chitosan has lots of good properties and it can be used in agriculture, winemaking and industry, to purify marine waters exploiting its ability to attract oleic compounds. In medicine, this fiber is used to create some dietary supplements, which are sold in pharmacy as products to lose weight, but currently it’s not completely clear if it is a real effect. Chitosan seems to be effective in reducing the intestinal absorption of cholesterol and triglycerides, because of its ability to absorb fats favoring their deletion with feces; but some websites affirm that this product does not cause any loss of weight or cholesterol and any health benefit. Then in conclusion, it is difficult to find out a single and clear answer to Giovanni’s question and as a future doctor I don’t know if I would recommend Chitosan to an obese patient.

Surfing the internet, I found very different information about chitosan, especially as for is ability to do lost weight. In general, it is not recommended because it is believed that enriching the pharmaceutical homes by selling only false hopes, but does not seem completely useless as it has the ability to bind the fat itself preventing accumulation.

surfing the internet using  as a Google search engine I could find lots of information about the Chitosan. all pages I have visited are unanimous in identifying chitosan as:  "Chitosan / kaɪtəsæn / is a linear polysaccharide composed of randomly distributed β- (1 → 4) -linked D-glucosamine (deacetylated unit) and N-acetyl-D- (from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitosan), but in my opinion it is necessary to treat the chitin shells of shrimp and other crustaceans with an alkaline substance such as sodium hydroxide. a simple patient (like ours, John), it is difficult to understand this kind of information if you do not have solid pharmacological and medical knowledge. I have found a lot of information about the structure and effects, but still do not have medical evidence today " There is some evidence of the effect of chitosan on lowering cholesterol and body weight, but the effect is unlikely to be of medical importance (From: https://www.drugs.com/npc/chitosan.html). Of course, in my research I found fake news or traps that are more commercial and scientific news (to which I paid more attention). The quality of information is not very high, if not in some scientists and I do not feel sufficiently prepared with this information to give an answer to our patient.

After a search for “Chitosan Effectiveness” and “chitosan weight loss” on Google, the main results I found were from health/lifestyle blogs or non-professional medical pages, which stated that chitosan had no proved effectiveness for weight loss. Despite referring often to “research” or “studies”, only rarely was there an actual specific reference made, making the information difficult to verify and so not reliable.
On the contrary, searching for “Chitosan Efficacy” resulted in the first 2 hits being scientific articles from the PubMed database, which state that chitosan actually does increase the loss of body fat in free-living conditions. These articles are scientific so seem more reliable, although the quality of the study itself remains to be evaluated.
Searching for “Fat Blazer Chitosan” resulted in a number of web pages and videos advertising a series of commercial products with similar names (eg. ‘Chitosan Fat Blocker’, ‘Chitosan Fat Zapper’). These pages had extensive explanations as to the reasons for Chitosan’s effectiveness, and again referred to “studies” or “research” without referencing actual papers or clinical trials. In this case, the information was of extremely bad quality, even though the conclusions are similar, as we are looking at commercial articles with little or no scientific data.
There is information enough in the midst of these websites to answer Giovanni’s question, but there would be difficulty in discerning reliable and unreliable sources, as the information found by the search engine is contradictory.

I searched on the net for the definition of obesity and Chitosan and its uses. The obesity is the condition of being grossly fat or overweight.  It is a combination of causes and contributing factors, including individual factors such as behavior and genetics. Obesity is a serious concern because it is associated with poorer mental health outcomes, reduced quality of life, and the leading causes of death like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer. There are a lot of solution like a restrictive diet or gastric bypass, to block the ingestion of unnecessary calories. Another way is to take drugs that helps in weight loss like Chitosan.

Chitosan is a sugar that is obtained from the hard outer skeleton of shellfish. It is used to treat obesity, high cholesterol, and Crohn’s disease. It has also other uses in fields like industries and agricolture. But the studies about Chitosan aren’t sufficient to prove its uses in the weight loss, but this first studies suggest that Chitosan helps in reduction of high cholesterol and the lipid sensitivity.

The Chitosan isn’t the solution for weight loss, but in a controlled diet the use of drugs like this can be usefull for the patient.

Searching on google, I found numerous data regarding the "chitosan". This is presented as a linear polysaccharide, recycled from chitin and used in numerous fields, such as in the purification of marine waters as it has the ability to bind oily compounds; From this capacity it is also hypothesized its application in the formulation of products for overweight persons. However, I did not find any documented evidence or statistical data that confirm the true effectiveness of chitosan in this field. So I do not have the information needed to answer the question of Giovanni

I searched on the net for the definition of obesity and Chitosan and its uses. The obesity is the condition of being grossly fat or overweight.  It is a combination of causes and contributing factors, including individual factors such as behavior and genetics. Obesity is a serious concern because it is associated with poorer mental health outcomes, reduced quality of life, and the leading causes of death like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer. There are a lot of solution like a restrictive diet or gastric bypass, to block the ingestion of unnecessary calories. Another way is to take drugs that helps in weight loss like Chitosan.

Chitosan is a sugar that is obtained from the hard outer skeleton of shellfish. It is used to treat obesity, high cholesterol, and Crohn’s disease. It has also other uses in fields like industries and agricolture. But the studies about Chitosan aren’t sufficient to prove its uses in the weight loss, but this first studies suggest that Chitosan helps in reduction of high cholesterol and the lipid sensitivity.

The Chitosan isn’t the solution for weight loss, but in a controlled diet the use of drugs like this can be usefull for the patient.

Searching Google for information about Chitosan, I noted that there’s still no scientific evidence of its effectiveness in loosing weight: some researches claim it has a minimum effect. Although, I could find this information only after a while, because the first results where commercials which claimed the product could make you thinner in a few days. I’m afraid a lot people search the web just to find what they want to hear, therefore they may believe in these ads and buy the product even without consulting their GP. In conclusion, according to what I can find on Google, I would not recommend Giovanni to buy it, even though I should make a deeper research into a medical library.

BY SEARCHING THE INTENERNET BY GOOGLE DRIVERS I FOUND MANY SCIENTIFIC , SOCIALE EVEN COMMERICIALS ARTICLES AND ITEMS ABOUT CHITOSAN .

SOME OF THEM ARE SCIENTIFICHE ATRICLES THAT ARE COPMLICATED AND OTHERS EXPLAIN  IN CLEAR  AND SEMPLE WAY ABOUT THE PRODUCT.

What other names is Chitosan known by?

Ascorbate de Chitosane, Chitosan Ascorbate, Chitosane, Chitosane Déacétylé, Chitosane Mono-Carboxyméthylé, Deacetylated Chitosan, Enzymatic Polychitosamine Hydrolisat, HEP-30, Hydrolisat Enzymatique de Polychitosamine, Mono-Carboxymethylated Chitosan, N-Carboxybutyl Chitosan, N-Carboxybutyl Chitosane, N,O-Sulfated Chitosan, O-Sulfated N-Acetylchitosan, Quitosano, Sulfated N-Carboxymethylchitosan, Sulfated O-Carboxymethylchitosan, Trimethyl Chitosan Chloride.

What is Chitosan?

Chitosan is a sugar that is obtained from the hard outer skeleton of shellfish, including crab, lobster, and shrimp. It is used for medicine.

Chitosan is used to treat obesity, high cholesterol, and Crohn's disease. It is also used to treat complications that kidney failure patients on dialysis often face, including high cholesterol, "tired blood" (anemia), loss of strength and appetite, and trouble sleeping (insomnia).

Some people apply chitosan directly to their gums to treat inflammation that can lead to tooth loss (periodontitis), or chew gum that contains chitosan to prevent "cavities" (dental caries).

In an effort to help "donor tissue" rebuild itself, plastic surgeons sometimes apply chitosan directly to places from which they have taken tissue to be used elsewhere.

In pharmaceutical manufacturing, chitosan is used as a filler in tablets; as a carrier in controlled-release drugs; to improve the way certain drugs dissolve; and to mask bitter tastes in solutions taken by mouth.

Possibly Effective..

•   Gum disease (periodontitis). Some research suggests that applying chitosan ascorbate directly to the gums seems to help in the treatment of periodontitis.

•   Plastic surgery. Some research suggests that applying N-carboxybutyl chitosan directly to the affected area seems to help wound healing and reduce scar formation after plastic surgery.

•   Kidney failure. Some research suggests that taking chitosan by mouth may reduce high cholesterol, help to correct anemia, and improve physical strength, appetite, and sleep in people with kidney failure who are receiving long-term hemodialysis

Searching on google Chitosan, it is explained that it is a polysaccharide extracted from the chitin present in the skeleton of marine crustaceans. It is a supplement used for a potential weight reduction and for controlling cholesterol, but there are no reliable data that confirm weight reduction, as Giovanni explained to the doctor instead. In my opinion, patients should be entrusted mainly to competent people and not to the internet, because there may be written untrue things.

I've found one page that tried to sell those pills. it gave information about citosan and said Chitosan has been studied extensively and research has confirmed it binds to fat soluble molecules, to dietary and endogenous cholesterol, It inhibits LDL (the 'bad' cholesterol) and boosts HDL (the 'good' cholesterol), It remains virtually inactive in the human digestive tract, promotes weight loss and helps to control blood pressure. 

another page I found was from health magazine saying that a study conducted by the university of Exeter found citosan had no affect on  blocking fat absorption in the body.

in both cases its not a medical article and there are not proves or name of the person who brought this info so its very much unreliable and its not enough to provide answer to Giovanni 

After a lot of research done by typing “chitosan”, “chitosan weight loss”, “chitosan and diet” I noticed that the first web-sites to come up are either an explanation about what chitosan is and what its uses are or commercial advertising about chitosan as a food supplement that could possibly help to lose weight as it prevents the absorption of lipids. However, the commercial web-sites don’t give any reference about scientific research showing this specific function of chitosan. If you keep looking at the web-sites there are couple of scientific ones where there is a list with all articles about chitosan and its effects. Only one study is about the use of chitosan as a food supplement and it shows that 1,700 mg of chitosan a day for 24 weeks, caused an additional 1.8 kg of weight loss but with diet and steady exercise. Based on this information, I would not recommend chitosan to my patients as there isn’t any real evidence that chitosan can reduce weight without regular exercise and diet.

I surfed the Net using google and after typing the word “Chitosan” I first found the different components and its commercial and biomedical uses. On another site I discovered that there are different types of chitosan depending on different chemical properties. After a more thorough research, I found out that according to studies published in PUBMED Chitosan in the administered dosage, without dietary alterations does not reduce body weight in overweight subjects even if no serious adverse effects were reported on the volunteers treated. I was able to find lots of information, some more reliable than others depending on the site visited. Considering the information I found, I will not recommend chitosan to Giovanni but, for sure, before giving him a final opinion other well-known medical and scientific sites must be consulted.

So many web-sites concerning chitosan are suggested by google. Among all of them I choose Wikipedia because is very popular and is probably the first one a patient is referring to. According to Wikipedia chitosan has multiple functions going from medicine to completly different fields. Regarding medicine it is used for bandages and as a fat blazer but the suorce specifics that this last function is controverse because there are some evidence that deny chitosan’s effectiveness in limiting fat absorbition.

I think the quality of this source is quite good because it has high number of references most of wich are taken by scientific articles.

Informations provided by the Web-site aren’t enough but on the other hand, this can be positively considered because the seeker is pushed to contact an expert.

I first searched on Google typing "chitosan" and I found many commercial hits. These commercial hits could be traps patients because they show the effectiveness of chitosan to lose weight but there is no scientific evidence of it. Considering these informations of poor quality I decided to search "chitosan medical uses". I found many review articles and study review reporting chitosan has being used in commercial and biomedical applications but there are conflicting evidences about the effectiveness of chitosan for weight loss. 

My answer to Giovanni is "Dear Giovanni there is no scientific evidence that chistosan make you lose weight. I think it is better for you to not take it."

Surfing the Internet, I found that 'Chitosan' is a linear polysaccharide that derives from the treatment of chitin shells of crustaceans with an alkaline substance. Although its link with losing weight are expressed only in a small number of researches that explain how ‘Chitosan’ can be for reducing fat absorption. Obviously, this kind of information can’t be enough to answer to Giovanni’s question.

As regards my searching work, I had to leave out some of the hardly-credible information from unreliable sites. So I think people should always gage what they are reading.

Looking for what the chitosan is on google and what it takes I observed that most of the sites does not give scientific evidence and data on its use but only gives commercial hits. Only after prolonged research have I found partially useful information: it is described as a polysaccharide useful in modulating lipid metabolism: an inhibiting action towards the absorption of triglycerides, guaranteeing a reduction in the blood concentrations of these elements; appreciable reduction of LDL cholesterol blood concentrations; it would allow a better control of the size of atheromatous plaque, as observed in small rodents. It is said to have shown important advantages even during kidney disease. However, despite the use of Chitosan to be advertised as a possible weight loss remedy, the currently published clinical studies, conducted both on men and on obese women, have not unambiguously confirmed this type of benefit. The highest experts in the field consider this effect to be null or particularly modest (taken from https://www.my-personaltrainer.it/integratori/chitosano.html).

Other sites claim that Chitosan does not have a weight loss effect.

Therefore, based on what I found, I can say that I am not entirely able to answer Giovanni's question of using it as a weight-loss remedy.

Searching on internet I found some informations: in medicine, chitosan, a linear polysaccharide, it is useful in bandages to reduce bleeding and as an antibacterial agent; it can also be used to help deliver drugs through the skin.More controversially, chitosan has been asserted to have use in limiting fat absorption, which would make it useful for dieting, but there is evidence against this.

However, i'm thinking about how difficult could be to understand what a polysaccharide as chitosan and its implications in Medicine.

surfing on internet I found some scientific websites that affirm chitosan is a polymer derived from the exoskeleton of crustaceans and insects and it seems that it's able to absorb fats. I found also commercial websites where the attention is focused only on the effects of chitosan on losing weight. Reading thoroughly the scientific ones, chitosan seems not suggested for the control of weight because the clinical beneficts are not so evident and so the effects are minimal, maybe it could be useful on prevention of dismetabolism and of atherosclerotic consequences. I think that I would not suggest chitosan because, according to my researches, its beneficts are not shared by all the scientific community and my knowledge is not enough to recommend this food supplement to Giovanni. 

I found at first websites like ebay or amazon who sold chitosan and products called “fat blazer”, then I found that chitosan binds fats in the gastrointestinal tract, so it lowers the absorption. It has less side effects than other pharmaceutical agents and people think that it makes them lose weight without starting a diet or doing sports.

 Then on another website I found that a study conducted by the University of Exeter found chitosan had no effect on blocking fat absorption in the body. If the chitosan had managed to bind to fat and stop it being absorbed, that fat should be expelled from the body. But when the faeces of volunteers taking 15 chitosan pills every day were tested, there was no change in faecal fat content. Also it may cause stomach cramps.

In conclusion, I don’t think that what I found online was trustworthy enough to start a therapy with chitosan. There isn’t enough information about this product and it doesn’t seem to be a way to solve the problem in the long term.

I have made different research about Chitosano, using Google and Yahoo and using Pubmed. In the first case informations were very different, often superficial and not proved. Chitosano is often proposed as a product - not as a drug - that anybody can buy without prescription. Many brand are promoted, without any evidence about their efficacy. In the second web site I found scientific informations in different articles, where Chitosano is described in its characteristics and effects, not only regarding weight control, but also regarding its antimicrobial activity. In the scientific trials I read on Pubmed that "when it was evaluated in clinical trials, the results varied. There is some support that chitosan is more effective than placebo in the short-term treatment of obesity and hypercholesterolemia . However, results obtained from larger and better-controlled trials showed that the effect of chitosan on body weight and serum cholesterol appeared to be ineffective, unconvincing and devoid of any clinical significance." (Chitosan: An Update on Potential Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications, Randy Chi Fai Cheung,^* Tzi Bun Ng,^* Jack Ho Wong, and Wai Yee ChanPaola Laurienzo, Academic Editor).

That is the reason why I believe that Chitosano may be has some effects in weight control, but overestimated for ad and commercial  reasons.

While searching informations about Chitosan I found different websites that advertise it in a really commercial way, without giving real scientific data. I think this can be misleading to those who are not part of the health "industry", because they will probably think that this drug can make them lose weight without dieting and exercising. Only few websites described the product the way it is, a polymer that apparently absorbs fats but that can have side effects and that is not proven to solve the obesity issue in a truly realistic way. This is why I think that searching this kind of informations on the internet without having a scientific background can be counterproductive.

Typing the word "Chitosan" on Google, the first results are given by Amazon; it is described as a miracolous product, which helps people to fight against obesity just taking pills, without diets or physical activity. However, this site doesn't provide any scientific information, it focuses on product's sale. More scientific informations are provided by other sites, as a matter of fact there are certain  data that this substance can block absorption of dietaryfat and cholesterol. Anyhow, there is conflicting evidence about the effctiveness of chitosan for weight loss. In fact it is effective only if combined with a calorie-restricted diet, so that I think Giovanni shouldn't resort to chitosan.

Searching on Google "chitosan" I found various information: most of websites advertise chitosan’s  slimming effect. According to my researches, chitosan is a polysaccharide used as a ingredient of supplements used to lose weight. Its function is binds fats in the gastrointestinal tract, promoting their elimination with feces (so it lowers their absorption). This is a way to control body’s weight. Another chitosan’s function is to reduce appetite. Many websites report only this information, saying that these statements are based on clinical trials and on a careful examination of scientific literature. However these websites don’t report any source or scientific evidences. Other websites report online sources: clicking on it I see that they are non-existent websites. Actually, I have also found more trustworthy and critical websites, which cite sources and who has been carried out various clinical studies. These websites (in the minority, compared to others) report that actually connection between chitosan consumption and weight reduction has no scientific basis. These studies were carried out by EFSA, which also denied the authorization to write on these supplements’ labels "reduces body weight" due to insufficient quantity of scientific evidence to verify that. Other studies came up at the same conclusions. And moreover some professors, who teach at the University Federico II (in Naples), have shown that chitosan only causes a temporary slowdown but not a weight loss. Furthermore, among “scientific” websites and the others one there is a substantial difference with regard to dosage and contraindications. Commercial websites don’t report or underestimate them. Few websites recommend you to ask doctor or nutritionist for advice. Finally, according to my researches, I don’t think this food supplement can help Giovanni to lose weight. I wouldn’t recommend it: there isn’t enough scientific evidences: the few that are report that chitosan is useless to lose weight. Instead, I would suggest Giovanni to contact a nutritionist and follow a proper training and diet.

I searched chitosan on Google. This polysaccharide is obtained from carapaces of some crustaceans thanks to a reaction with an alkaline substance. It's used in a lot of different sectors, from  losing weight in medicine to seed treatment in agriculture. Websites were very different in the presentation of this product. Wikipedia was clear and scientific, showing, the use end benefits of chittosan, but also the critcs with well documented references to clinical trialsls. But too much sites, like myprotein.com  sponsorized the product as a panacea for all the obese people. In conclusion, the internet could be a great as source of information but only if  you have the base knowledge and cunning to discern between good and bad results of your research.    

I've searched Chitosan on Google. I found first  physical-chemical properties, hard to understand by people who haven't studied science, in summary, It's a polysaccharide derived from  chitin shells of shrimp. It's used in many areas, like agriculture, winemaking and in industry. In medicine its effects are not claer: this fiber can bind fat  to delaying intestinal fat absorption. But in my search this information came from Wikipedia (not a scientific site) and E-commerce sites, that are the first results if you googled Chitosan and in these sites side effects are not exposed.
So, after this search If I was Giovanni's doctor I can't answer properly the Giovvani's questions.

I've googled the word Chitosan, founding that it is a polysaccharide from the carapaces of some crustaceans. A medical use of this substance is helping to lose weight as fat blazer. Despite the big number of sites that try to sell Chitosan as a miraculous drug with a lot of benefits, there aren't so much scientific evidences about the effects of this molecule around the web. In addition surfing on the web I found many sites that define chitosan a useless substance without any benefical effect. Finally i would suggest to consult a doctor to find the right therapy because searching informations  on internet can lead to unhealty decisions.

Searching on the internet, i found out that chitosan is a polysaccaride derived from chitin shells of shrimp and other crustaceans processed with an alkaline substance, like sodium hydroxide.

Chitin has the ability to absorb fats and favor their elimination and that is why it is used to: purify the marine waters, thanks to its ability to attract oily compounds; promote weight loss in the form of chitosan as a food supplement; in the preparation of creams in the cosmetic industry.

All the sites say different things about chitosan but don't specify the side effects.

I think that surfing the internet people could think to solve their weight problem with chitosan but ignore any possible side effects. That is why my suggestion is to always seek medical advice.

Searching on the internet, i found out that chitosan is a polysaccaride derived from chitin shells of shrimp and other crustaceans processed with an alkaline substance, like sodium hydroxide.

Chitin has the ability to absorb fats and favor their elimination and that is why it is used to: purify the marine waters, thanks to its ability to attract oily compounds; promote weight loss in the form of chitosan as a food supplement; in the preparation of creams in the cosmetic industry.

All the sites say different things about chitosan but don't specify the side effects, there are not scientific informations around the effects of chitosan searching on popular sites. The quality of informations is poor and it is not enough to answer to Giovanni's question without before searching for scientific reports on the effects of Chitosan. Most of the results it's purely commercial, aimed to sell Chitosan products at high price.

I think that surfing the internet people could think to solve their weight problem with chitosan but ignore any possible side effects. That is why my suggestion is to always seek medical advice.

Doing the researches on the web, using google, I found informative web pages (Wikipedia, mypersonaltrainer) on the CHITOSAN, a polysaccharide made by treating the chitin shells of shrimp and other crustaceans with an alkaline substance, like sodium hydroxide. I also found an article who demystifies the chitosan. But I found mostly commercial information: many websites declare the effectiveness of chitosan almost like a miracle potion who could reduce weight and so give you a resolution for the obesity. I don’t think the quality of information is enough good to answer Giovanni’s question in an objective mode, because on the web the information are supported by an economical aim and less scientific

Google search provided predictable results
most of the sites are commercial and advertising-like
As a medical student, these sites do not deserve further study
because they are clearly "biased", without scientific insights,
but it is possible that a not "science - oriented" person may be
convinced of the beneficial properties of the molecule.
However the first suggested site is Wikipedia
both the English and Italian versions report, in an understandable way,
that it DOES NOT promote weight loss or that weight loss IS NOT significant;
in addition, the English version of wikipedia separates
the "weight loss" item from the "medical use" item (bandages, antibacterial action).
I think that Giovanni should not trust advertising but follow the advice of his GP.

As far as I can imagine if I were a completely ineducated person, this supplement seems to be the easy way to lose weight, without making important changes in my life-style. The first results ranked on Google are from sites where you can purchase this supplement. As a supplement, it undergoes to a lighter control on the claims that it can be sold with, so its lipoadsorbent function cannot be contestualized by someone who doesn't belong to the field. This advertisement are catchy because they provide a simple (yet not effective and cheap) solution. 

After some researches on GOOGLE, I have discovered, in the first place, what chitosan is and I realized that the first results of my researches comprise commercial advice which explained the charectreristics of chitosan and its possible benefits connected with the loss of the weight. Chitosan is derived from chitina, which is found in the external part of sea food. It is a fibre able to bind lipids and not to be absorbed, being elimiated through faeces. This should lead to a lower level of quantity of triglycerides and cholesterol in human blood. 

Going into details and making deeper researches, I have found out that the loss of weight could be moderate or even insignificant, taking into account that we are talking about supplements and so they should be used together with a healthy lifestyle. 

In conclusion, if a person should look for information on the internet about the validity of the product in the field of loss of weight, the results should be misleading and so medical advice should be necessary

Searching true google and facing so many commercial sites and finding some academic research I can say its hard for non medical people to find the truth that easily, but I found an article on Humanitas Research Hospital according to witch there is no evidence that Chitosano can help with weight loss process.

I did a Google search and a PubMed search. In the first one, I found some advertisements on many web sites and Chitosan is presented such as a miracolous new therapy against obesity. In the PubMed search, I found some studies which recommend Chitosan in addition (and not alone) to the patient's usual therapy and other studies which find Chitosan ineffective. 

The results on PubMed are not similar to the information that the patient reads on Google: they are based on scientific evidence, they are not advertisements. Sometimes, it is difficult to explain to the patient that his Google's search is not comparable to PubMed's search.