A pilot study assessed the effect of chitosan on cholesterol levels in eight healthy men between 20 and 23 years of age.
After a three-day placebo period, the participants received three biscuits daily, each containing chitosan 1 g, for seven days, followed by six biscuits per day for seven days and three days of placebo biscuits. Outcome measures in- cluded total cholesterol, serum HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and fecal bile- acid secretion.
Mean total serum choles- terol decreased from 189 to 177 mg/dL (p < 0.01) during the period of chitosan ingestion; this change was reversed during the final three days of placebo inges- tion.
Serum HDL cholesterol increased from 51 to 56 mg/dL (p < 0.05) during chitosan treatment, and this was re- versed when chitosan was discontinued.
There were no significant changes in the other outcome measures.