Chitosan X-tra

A Unique Positive Ionic Fiber Supplement

Summary: Unique Benefits of Chitosan Plus:

• Beneficial soluble dietary fiber that is more fluid and more stable than others
• Considered an adaptogen that helps all 60 trillion cells in the body
• Combine anti-tumor, antibacterial, antifungal and detoxification properties
• Electromagnetically sweeps out cholesterol, fats and acids
• Regulate blood sugar resulting in reduced fat production in cells
• Research documents loss of 8% body weight in fat
• Reduce ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol 32% in 5 weeks while increasing beneficial HDL
• Decrease risk factors for obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer
• Promote healing of ulcers and other lesions
• Feed joints and connective tissues by providing a source of glucosamine
• Improve Calcium metabolism and strengthen bones
• Chelate heavy metals
• Reduce uric acid levels in the bloodstream

Are We Losing the ‘Battle of the Bulge?’

More than 100 million overweight Americans spend about 33 billion dollars each year to try to lose weight. Americans are more closely following government and medical industry recommendations for diet today than they were a decade ago, yet in that time span, the average American has gained an average of 8 more pounds! It’s time for a new approach that focuses on rebuilding cellular health rather than counting calories. Enhanced nutrition is a key factor in the cell’s ability to burn fat and the body’s ability to attain and maintain optimum weight. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is essential for converting stored fat into energy. Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) and protein are also needed to burn fat at an optimal rate. Amino acids are essential in the cell’s energy systems but require B vitamins like Choline and Vitamin B6 as well as other nutrients to be utilized. Vitamin E is necessary for fat utilization, doubling fat utilization. The B complex vitamins Choline and Inositol are needed to make lecithin which assists cellular fat utilization. Production of hormones and enzymes required for fat metabolism are similarly dependent on a wide range of nutrients, all of which are found in StarGold.

More Reasons to Fight Fat

Excess dietary fat is associated with more than just obesity. Excess dietary fat also reduces longevity. It is linked to killer cardiovascular problems including high blood pressure, stroke, coronary artery disease and heart disease. Related problems also include gallbladder disease, joint inflammation like gout and arthritis, liver and kidney problems, diabetes, respiratory difficulties, malnutrition, complications of pregnancy and psychological disorders. Even cancer is linked to excessive fat intake, including cancer of the breast, uterus, cervix, ovaries, prostate, colon and rectum. Colorectal cancer is the number one cancer in the U.S. Digestive tract disorders are responsible for more hospitalization than any other problem, with a total cost of more than $50 Billion every year. Most of these problems could be prevented by reducing dietary fat and increasing dietary fiber.

According to the Merck Manual, diverticulosis in the colon increased from 1O% of the population in 1950 to 50% 1987. The 1994 edition now reveals that 100% are expected to develop diverticuli. These pockets are filled with material so toxic that a quarter teaspoon would be lethal if absorbed into the blood. The average American stores 5 to 10 pounds of this excess fecal matter, and 10 to 20 pounds is not at all unusual. The constant, slow absorption of these toxins into the bloodstream contributes to cardiovascular disease and stresses every cell in the body. Diverticuli can be prevented with an adequate dietary fiber intake.

The Importance of Fiber

Dietary fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and seeds and not in meat, dairy products or refined foods. One benefit of fiber is that it binds to toxic bile acids and excess fats, reducing their absorption. Fiber provides bulk, producing a feeling of fullness which helps to reduce overeating. Fiber helps reduce bowel transit time, decreasing production and absorption of fecal toxins, while feeding the friendly flora. Fiber improves regularity, assists in elimination, aids digestion and helps clean the bowels. Fiber is also important in lowering cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease, lowering high blood pressure and improving blood sugar. Chitosan Plus (pronounced ‘Key-toe-sahn’) provides all of these fiber benefits and more. For example, studies on diabetes show that Chitosan controls both blood and urine sugar much better than plant fiber.

Chitosan is an aminopolysaccharide, derived from chitin which makes up the exoskeleton (shell) of crustaceans such as shrimp, lobster and crab. It has been the subject of over 1500 studies. We have 17 years of clinical research on chitosan as a natural weight loss, fiber and colon cleansing supplement. It has also been used for 30 years in water purification, due to its remarkable ability to absorb oil, grease, and other toxic substances. It is also used in food and beverage plants such as breweries and vegetable canneries. In oriental medicine, chitin has an even longer history of medicinal use.

Safe & Effective Weight Loss

Chitosan can produce dramatic weight loss as proven in a clinical study in Helsinki. Participants lost an average of 8% body weight in fat in just one month, an average of more than 15 pounds per person! Researchers say the participants "informed us that this chitosan was the best and most hygienic way to take a weight reducing substance." The absence of side effects was touted by the researchers and they were surprised at the blood pressure lowering effects of chitosan as well. This is good news for the 68% of Americans who are now overweight, and even more so the 33% of adults classified as obese. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, even a small amount of extra body weight increases our risk of disease and may affect longevity. The National Institute of Health states that, "Obesity is the leading cause of heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and even cancer."

Chitosan Chemistry

Chitin is similar to cellulose except that acetylamino groups are present in place of hydroxy groups. Removing the acetyl groups, a process known as deacetylation, results in chitosan, an aminopolysaccharide molecule with a strong positive electrical charge, which strongly attracts and bonds to negatively charged molecules.

Once in the digestive system, chitosan dissolves and forms a positively charged ionic gel. Negatively charged molecules of fats, lipids, bile and acid-forming ions like chloride attach strongly to the chitosan sites where the acetyl groups were removed. This electrostatic bonding causes large polymer compounds to be formed that bypass the digestive process. The chitosan then acts as a coagulating agent for other high calorie molecules such as complex sugar chains and high caloric carbohydrate micelles. These are substances that often get converted into fat that then builds up in our cells. As the chitosan polymer grows, it becomes too large to be absorbed through the lining of the digestive tract. The polymer is then excreted as waste from the digestive system, carrying away the attached fat and other fat and acid producing substances.

It dissolves within the stomach itself and converts into a gel. Chitosan binds dietary cholesterol. The International Journal of Obesity has stated that adding dietary fiber to a low fat diet can help reduce hunger and increase the number of bowel movements; two actions which greatly enhance weight loss. Fiber has also been linked to slower rises in blood glucose which also profoundly affect how we store excess calories and when we feel hungry. Water purification plants throughout the nation use Chitosan for this purpose. What this indicated to scientists was that Chitosan can selectively absorb fats even in a water medium.

Bile acids are neutralized by the chitosan polymer. Bile acids are released from the liver and gall bladder when fats, lipids and other high calorie foods enter the small intestine. Bile breaks down the high calorie substances into small absorbable fat droplets called micelles. Micelles are either enzymatically digested or directly absorbed into the body. Chitosan attracts and binds up to half to 2/3 of these fat-producing micelles so they can be eliminated rather than absorbed. Bile acids also produce bile salts in the colon, considered the most toxic substances in the body, excess amounts of which may contribute to both colon and prostate cancer.

Chitosan is lipophilic, meaning that it is attracted to fat. Most fibers are hydrophilic, which means they repel fat and attract water. For example, straight psyllium fiber will absorb water, producing bulk while leaving fats behind that can contribute to constipation. Laboratory research comparing 23 different fibers proved that chitosan worked 55% better than the next best fiber for eliminating fat from the intestinal tract.

The degree of negatively charged fat, lipid, cholesterol, complex sugar chains, or high calorie carbohydrates bound by chitosan is in direct proportion to the degree of deacetylation. Pharmaceutical grade chitosan is deacetylated between 90 to 95% and can absorb 10 to 12 times it weight. Food grade chitosan is deacetylated between 75 to 80% but only binds 4 to 6 times it's weight. Thus, when purchasing chitosan, the percentage of deacetylation is important in getting maximum benefits.

Cholesterol Reduction

A clinical study found chitosan reduced total cholesterol by 32% in just 5 weeks. At the same time, beneficial HDL cholesterol, which helps to prevent atherosclerotic plaque, increased by 7.5%. Triglyceride levels are reduced by 18% over the same period. Other studies show decreased concentrations of liver cholesterol. A Japanese study on rats found that chitosan decreased liver cholesterol by 60% in just 4 weeks. Pharmaceutical grade chitosan was shown to be as effective as the best prescription drugs available for lowering cholesterol. Unlike the drugs, however, there are no side effects from chitosan and the cost is much less, as well. Chitosan can also have a major impact on reducing high blood pressure, heart disease, and other cardiovascular problems.

In a study at Tottori University, it was found that rabbits fed a high cholesterol diet showed increased cholesterol levels and developed hypertrophic, discolored livers. With the addition of Chitosan to the same diet, cholesterol levels were lower by 430 mg and the livers were normal and healthy. Encouraged by these hepatoprotective results, Japanese doctors then found good clinical effects in Hepatitis B and C, fatty liver, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and alcohol hepatitis. Others report that taking Chitosan before exposure to alcohol helps to prevent symptoms of drunkenness as well as hangovers.

Professor Sugano summarizes, “Chitosan has a strong plus charge, which absorbs bad cholesterol and removes it from our body. On the other hand, chitosan increases good HDL cholesterol. Western medicine has cholesterol-lowering agents, but cannot do the different actions simultaneously like chitosan does. Chitosan’s action should be considered to be controlling or normalizing action for cholesterol and neutral fats rather than merely an action of lowering cholesterol.” The beneficial HDL cholesterol increased by Chitosan is considered to be essential for cellular regeneration, while LDL cholesterol contributes to atherosclerosis, blocking cellular oxygenation and nutrition.

Reducing High Blood Pressure

Sixty percent of people with essential hypertension can reduce their blood pressure by restricting sodium chloride, or salt, intake. In America, these people are called sodium sensitive, but Japanese research with Chitosan has proved that it is actually the chloride ions which are to blame. Professor Hiromichi Okuda at Ehime University School of Medicine and Professor Hideo Katoh of Hiroshima Women’s University showed that both in animals and humans with salt-sensitive hypertension, the addition of negatively charged plant fibers to the diet had no effect on the increased blood pressure, but positively charge Chitosan fiber prevented dietary salt from increasing blood pressure. Because sodium is a cation (positive charge) it is attracted to plant fibers and excreted in the stool, while these typical dietary fibers permit chloride ions to be absorbed. They found that chloride then activates Angiotensin-converting enzyme, which synthesizes Angiotensin I into Angiotensin II, the major trigger of essential hypertension. Chitosan, the only fiber with a positive electrical charge, binds the anionic (negatively charged) chloride ions preventing their absorption. In one study, average blood pressures, with the same salt intake, were 200 with regular fiber, but dropped to 120 with Chitosan. Experiments to determine the minimum dosage to block chlorines hypertensive effects found that just 500 mg completely prevented any increase in the blood levels of chlorine. Professor Okuda states, “We could say that 60% of essential hypertensive patients should take 0.5 gram of chitosan right after their meals and would not need the tasteless food which is called ‘low salt diet.’ Chitosan controls (an increase of chlorine and) an increase of blood pressure.”

Chloride also stresses triggers abnormal secretion of insulin from the pancreas. As Professor Hideo Katoh explains, “This insulin increase leads to blood pressure elevation. Insulin also works to make body accumulate fats and promotes obesity. And obesity, in turn, triggers possibly diabetes. . .” By binding to both chloride and sugars, Chitosan thus also helps to regulate diabetes as well as the related condition of obesity. At the same time it is helping to improve circulation, regulate blood pressure, and even reduce atherosclerosis. The overall effect of activating and stimulating cell metabolism results in prevention and even reversal of age-related symptoms. Many users even report gradual darkening of grey hair and lessening of skin wrinkles.

Chitosan is a traditional Japanese remedy with hundreds of years of clinical use:

• Doctor Kataoka reports that only 1 out of 800 patients received no benefits from taking Chitosan. She says, “All my patients tell me that they feel lighter. They feel serene both emotionally and physically. The ordinary medicines can take away symptoms but cannot make patients feel serene. When I am afraid of the side effects of medicines or Western medical science, I give chitosan together to neutralize the side effects and make therapy easier.” Dr. Kataoka’s own mother eliminated angina pectoris, chronic tonsillitis, severe low back pain, shoulder pain and foot pain by using Chitosan. Her response was very clear in comparison to previous treatment including herbal medicines.
• The head nurse at Dr. Kataoka’s clinic, not realizing the powerful effects of Chitosan, tried it for her sore shoulders only after complaining about it to her patients. “Within several days her suffering ended. Moreover, in addition to the absence of shoulder stiffness, her continuation of chitosan made her strong throughout her body and made her really happy. Now she has become a believer.”
• Etsuko, a 28 year old cosmetician, was extremely out of balance with a constant low grade fever, and had to change her clothes 30 to 40 times a day due to constant perspiration, before her doctor recommended taking Chitosan. Her physician reports, “Three days after she began, her parents called me and told me that she had a loose BM. I told them that it is a sign of body improvement reaction and should be welcome: she should continue taking it, but she could decrease it to one tablet at a time if she could not tolerate it. About one week after she started, her stool became colored bluish-blackish. I wonder what it means. I know a baby produces such a colored stool. Such a stool continued for about three days and diarrhea decreased gradually and disappeared. . . .The number of times she changed her clothes lessened to only several times a day within the third week. One month after the therapy started, she could come alone to this clinic and showed a healthier face with a vibrant look like a lady of 20s in age.” Her fever was gone after one month, and all symptoms were essentially normal by the second month.
• One practitioner reports having used Chitosan to remove his own warts, as well as patients’ polyps, achieving good results in combination with herbal therapies.
• Yukihiro was diagnosed with a severe case of Hepatitis B. After using Chitosan on top of his medical therapies he reports, “It was the most amazing thing that B-type hepatitis virus became zero (or negative).”
• Yoshiko, age 53, suffered chronic constipation, dizziness and high blood pressure (200 systolic). Dr. Nitta reports, after starting her on Chitosan, “First of all, dizziness of unknown cause became less and less and disappeared in one week. In parallel to it, constipation became less and less.” Dr. Nitta was able to gradually wean Yoshiko off Western antihypertensive medications completely over the first two months as the blood pressure became regulated by the Chitosan.
• Dr. Yuhkoh Fushuki’s wife, age 63, reports, “Besides having high blood pressure, I fell down because of angina pectoris in the past, used to have fatigue, constipation and other troubles. Everything improved together by taking chitosan. I lost insomnia, too.”
• Mr. Masao Ishizaka, a well-known lyricist who suffers with severe diabetes, started taking Chitosan. His secretary reported that in about two weeks, he began to have more energy. His facial color became brighter. He was less tired and began needing less time lying down when talking with people. Mr. Sohkoh Koike, president of Orion Company, says, “he was being wasted almost to death. . .but his present spirit overwhelms me.” His blood sugar levels have improved from about 200 to between 150 and 180.
• Katsuya, a 55 year old diabetic lost 11 pounds in his first 4 months on Chitosan (from 156 to 145), but the best part was that his blood pressure and blood sugar both dropped enough to permit his doctor, Dr. Fukushi, to terminate both hypotensive and hypoglycemic drug treatments. From a fasting blood sugar of 234 (normal range 60 to 120) and blood pressure of 190/108 (over 150/90 being hypertensive) before Chitosan, his blood sugar normalized to 119 and pressures dropped to 150/87 with maintenance on Chitosan alone. During the same period, liver enzymes also improved dramatically: GOT dropped from 244 to 24 (normal range 5 to 40), and GPT went from 436 to 37 units (normal range 0 to 35).
• Mr. Toshiaki Suzuki experienced hemiplegia, high blood pressure (200 systolic), diabetes and other serious symptoms. On taking Chitosan, he observed, “I had diarrhea about three days after I began. I though I made a mistake. It was a body improvement reaction, but I did not know it, then. And I had a sense of distrust about medical matters. Diarrhea tapered off in about four days. About ten days after I began to take it, I noticed something peculiar. My left hand’s strange hot sensation was gone, and a flickering in my eyes during work disappeared. . . .Having blood pressure taken, I found 160 systolic. It was still high for ordinary people, but it was low for me. Meanwhile I regained my spirits gradually and lost my hand paralysis. . . .I did not tell my doctor that I was taking chitosan. Fourth month after I started chitosan, doctor’s tests showed that my blood sugar and cholesterol values are really normal. Doctor was more surprised than I was. He asked me, ‘Mr. Suzuki, did you take any other medicine than mine?’” He also noticed, “In the past, my facial skin was dry and hard. After using soap and washing, I had to rub cream into my face. But now, since I started taking chitosan, after I wash my face with soap, my face is smooth. People say that I became younger. Looking at my old portrait photo I see my old self more aged then.”
• Doctors, such as Kazuhiko Okada, who heads a rehabilitation center in Tokyo reports, “The recovery of muscle cells seems to be promoted very well by taking chitosan. . . .Therefore chitosan, which has a great power of activating cells, is considered to be an effective remedy.”
• Takahashi, age 53, experienced red, swollen, throbbing fingers. Cracks and pus appeared along with severe pain. Two years of treatment by famous dermatologists and University hospitals brought no improvement at all. After suffering for 5 years, a customer suggested Chitosan. Takahashi reports, “about 8 days after I began, the intolerable pain gradually decreased. The swelling receded little by little. After I finished the first bottle, containing 210 tablets. . .the fissured (lacerated and opened) wounds were closed. Around that time there was no more pain. Before three months passed, the wounds were completely healed.” Since he had been bald for 20 years, he was also pleasantly surprised by the growth of new hair on his head. “In the third month it grew about 1 cm. At the end of the first year I did not need a wig. Look! This must be average hair for a 53-year-old man.” He also noted, “A longtime constipation went away and I have been feeling good. I enjoy food better. I love my job and am happy every day.”
• Dr. Kohki Lee says that hair re-growth is not rare on Chitosan. “I gave a patient chitosan for treating prostate hypertrophy. Then, hair grew on his bald head. About this gift he was extremely pleased.”
• Dr. Akira Matsunaga concurs, having cured many cases of alopecia areata using chitosan. He reports, “One day a girl student of intermediate school who lost 50 to 60% of her hair came to me. It makes a bald area of about a penny’s size at many places of the scalp in the beginning. When it becomes worse, they join each other and become a big bald area. . . .In the second to the third month soft hair appeared on her bald scalp area. The only thing to do is wait for a further growth. In one half year the texture of hair became solid and hair became thick.”
• Dr. Ken Fujihara, who heads his own eye hospital, also improved his own vision with chitosan. Suffering from macular degeneration, he improved his condition in just 10 days at a dose of 9 tablets per day. In his clinical experience, “Chitosan causes a good effect not only on macular degeneration, but also on prevention and therapy of cataract. . . .It diminishes the established eye disorders and especially eye fatigue.”
• An 82 year old man awaiting hospitalization for liver cancer started taking 15 tablets of Chitosan daily. The man’s son reported that he “had a senile cataract and could not see more than things covered with mist and cloud. But he did not take care of his eye trouble, as he was more concerned about his liver cancer. However, about ten days after he began chitosan intake, he could see printed words well. Being overpleased, he started reading books for two to three hours every day.” Upon admission to the hospital it was found that the liver cancer had already begun to shrink. He “was told to wait and see it the future course. Within one week he was discharged. . . .He became much stronger than before - his hair became darker and his whole body became younger. Cataract was cured and his eyesight improved. Now he does not need glasses to read small prints in small books that I cannot see well” his son reports. “The hospital president is his physician and sees him once a month. The doctor is puzzled about the improvement of his condition which was obtained by no medicines, but by chitosan alone.”
• Dr. Kohki Lee, an OB-GYN, reports on his own personal results from taking 6 chitosan a day, “The first thing I noticed was that my generalized fatigue was going away. I did not feel tired after I worked all night through. Until then, I used to fall asleep during my nighttime duty. In the past I could not read some numbers on a clock on the wall or saw them crooked. One to two months after I began chitosan, I was able to see things in a completely normal way.” Having had a history of retinal hemorrhage in his right eye, he had a checkup by his ophthalmologist. Dr. Lee reports, “To my amazement, the right eye with the past retinal bleeding had eyesight 1.5 (20/13) and the left eye without bleeding had 1.2 (20/17) eyesight. The bad eye had become better than the good eye. I could not think of it from medical common sense. The good vision of the right eye remains the same now - furthermore, it is not the only thing that improved. . . .I used to have (herniated) disc a few times a year; then I could not turn myself in bed and could not go to hospital. But I have had no disc troubles for the past three years since I started taking chitosan. . . .I do not catch cold either.” His high blood pressure, which ran as high as 160/110, also reduced to 130/80.
• Fumiko, age 48, suffered from sarcoidosis. In just 3 months on Chitosan, her Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) level improved from 38.6 to 25, which is at the upper limit of normal. Her eyesight was restored to better than 20/20 and a portion of the granulomatous lesion in her lung disappeared. At the same time, her weight returned to normal.
• Dr. Takashi Tsuneyasu, still head of Tsuneyasu Medicine Hospital at age 71, takes Chitosan for prevention. He states, “As my father dies of stomach cancer, and my older sister dies of lung cancer, I have a possibility of inheriting cancer body constitution and have to prevent cancer by taking chitosan. But I have received an additional benefit of being made younger and high-spirited.” After seeing his own health improve, he now recommends Chitosan to patients as well. “It prolongs life expectancy. It improved a patient with chronic arterial obstruction and a difficulty walking. It is also effective for mucous membrane disease - the mucous membrane include throat, digestive organ mucous membrane, bronchial membrane, intestinal mucous membrane, etc.” Having researched lung diseases at Kyushu University, he is now studying how Chitosan has been able to reverse cases of irreversible diseases including lung fibrosis.
• Yoshiya, a young man suffering from severe MS, improved so much on 21 tablets a day of Chitosan, that in one month tests no longer showed any abnormality and he was discharged from the hospital. His mother took Chitosan for three months prior to surgery for cancer, which shrunk remarkably during that time. She explains, “There are five stages, 1 to 5 in increasing order. When my cancer was found, it was C or 3, the intermediate. When taken by operation, it was A or 1, the beginning of the beginning.”
• One man, age 30, had suffered from chronic allergic rhinitis that drugs were never able to suppress. It cleared after just one month on six Chitosan a day.
• Masayoshi, a 57 year old hemodialysis patient, says “In one week my BM became better. Within a few months my lead-colored skin became clean, had a healthy color and was moistened. My sleep became sounder and my fatigue was gone. But my blood pressure did not go down below about 180 systolic.” Then within two weeks of increasing Chitosan to 15 per day, he says “It went down to 150 systolic and sometimes down to 130 or so.”
• Dr. Tetsushiro Shigeno, who operates Shigeno Testuhiro Clinic in Tokyo, reports that “Chitosan kills pain, and puts down inflammation, and is used for suppurative diseases. It is powerful to remove toxins, impurities, pus, swollen things and stiff stuff: it is effective for breast cancer and lymphoma. It excretes the wastes from chronic nephritic kidney. . . .Chitosan’s actions of excretion and detoxification work quickly. With this method I have prevented the uremic crisis of chronic nephritis patients.”
• Kishio, age 64, suffered from numerous complications of asthma, including pulmonary emphysema, chronic heart failure, chronic gastritis, masked depression and allergic rhinitis. After two weeks of diarrhea, a detoxification reaction, all of his complications began to clear, and he suffered no more asthma attacks for the first time in over 30 years.
• Dr. Yoshiki Yamada, once a surgeon in the First Section of Surgery at Nara Medical University, has now given up surgery completely, after seeing too many patients relapse. He now uses alternative methods including therapeutic (ionized) water, herbs, energy therapies including far infrared, plus powerful natural remedies including Chitosan.
• Sohkichi, age 70, went to the hospital when he felt a mild chest pain. X-rays showed many white shadows. His wife recalls, “They were lung cancer and there was metastasis to the liver. Only one month of life he has - his doctor told me.” The cancer was found to be inoperable, and intravenous injections had caused edema in his feet before he started on Chitosan. “But one week after he started taking it, leg and foot swelling like a balloon began to shrink. Like interlocking with it, his ascites (fluid in the abdominal cavity) waned slowly and the abdomen shrank gradually.” Within about 15 months, his cancer was totally gone!
• Sachiko, age 68, had a suspicious wine-colored growth on her arm that had grown steadily since appearing 3 years prior. She suspected cancer, especially since her father and six brothers had all died of cancer. At the same time, she didn’t want to risk a needle biopsy as that could trigger increased growth of the lesion. She says, “I continued taking 4 tablets of Chitosan a day every day. Then, about one month later, the raised part was slowly lowered down. The wine color became darker. I thought that ‘cancer’ was going to die. . . .Honestly speaking, I just wanted to prevent it from growing. Seeing it disappear, I was very happy. I felt like I was dreaming.”
• A women of 102 years of age was diagnosed to live for only several hours. Her physician, Dr. Akira Matsunaga recalls, “The eye-blinking reaction, corneal reflex, pain sensation and perception were all gone. Her breathing stopped occasionally. Her pulse was not clearly felt. . . .I had chitosan powder that I had put in my bag unaware of doing it. I dissolved it in vinegar in a tea cup and had her drink a little of it. . . .Next day her daughter called me. She said, ‘My mother became conscious again.’ She really surprised me. On the second day, she began to mutter something. The third day she used a comb to comb herself. . . .She became stronger every day. Her communication with her family was very good and her memory was quite good. She enjoyed talking with everybody. Two months later, she finally said, ‘Thank you very much for your care.’ The next day she quietly passed away.”

No wonder over 2 million Japanese take Chitosan every day!

Still More Uses Discovered:

• Acne: Chitosan has been used effectively because it inhibits the specific bacteria which cause the inflammation associated with acne.
• Agriculture: Chitosan can be coated on seeds, resulting in increased crop yields, since chitosan induces a protective response in the germinating plant. When Chitosan is used as a fertilizer, no chemicals are needed because plants are naturally stronger. Plants normally absorb small amounts of chitin from the insects they come in contact with. It seems that the use of insecticides has actually reduced the level of chitin in plants, by killing the insects that produce it. This has resulted in weaker plants, and also less chitin in the food chain for human consumption as well.
• Antacid: A patent has been issued for using Chitosan as a safe and highly effective antacid.
• Antibiotic Resistance: Chitosan is being used to prevent and control nosocomial (hospital) infections from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
• Arthritis: Enzymes produced by friendly flora produce Glucosamine from Chitosan. Glucosamine has been found to decrease the pain and disability of arthritis, while helping to repair damages joint tissues. Chitosan Plus can be taken together with Friendly Flora to enhance this effect.
• Burn Treatment: Chitosan can form tough, water-absorbent, biocompatible films directly on a burn by application of an aqueous solution of chitosan acetate (chitosan dissolved in dilute vinegar and then further diluted before application). The solution, although acidic, provides a cool and pleasant soothing effect when applied to the open wounds of burn patients. Another advantage of this type of chitosan treatment is that it allows excellent oxygen permeability. This is important to prevent oxygen-deprivation of injured tissues. Additionally, chitosan films have the ability to absorb water and are naturally degraded by body enzymes. This fact means that the chitosan needs not be removed. In most injuries, and especially burns, removing the wound dressing can cause further damage to already injured tissues.
• Calcium: Clinical tests show that Chitosan increases the bio-availability of calcium.
• Candida: Fungal overgrowths, especially Candida albicans affects millions of people. In vivo clinical studies show that chitosan effectively kills Candida.
• Cell Biology: Chitosan aggressively binds to a variety of mammalian and microbial cells, leading to possible applications as a hemostatic and bacteriostatic agent. Chitosan can be referred to as a polycation. Since the early 1950s, polycations have been known to bind to red blood cells. Many studies since have shown that polycations are effective cellular agglutinating agents. In the early 1960s, chitosan was investigated for its agglutinating and binding abilities. It was found that chitosan, even at very low concentrations, had the ability to agglutinate red blood cells. This led to chitosan's consideration as a hemostatic agent. The agglutination of red blood cells by polycations is dependent both on polymer structure and molecular weight. Out of six common polycations, only chitosan was able to effectively initiate gel formation of heparinized blood. Chitosan with a molecular weight of 35,000 was able to produce a loose coagulum in heparinized blood, while chitosan with molecular weights of 600,000 or above produced firm coagulum. The normal repulsive force between red blood cells is due to the high net negative charge on the cell membranes. This high negative surface charge is predominantly due to the presence of neuraminic acid, which binds to Chitosan’s positive charges.
• Detoxification: Chitosan chelates heavy metals, radioactive materials and other toxins, decreasing absorption of toxins in food and water, while preventing re-uptake of wastes excreted by the liver, a common problem sometimes referred to as ‘toxic ping-pong.’ In fact, water purification plants throughout the nation use Chitosan to detoxify oils, heavy metals and other potentially toxic substances. Doctors in Japan find that Chitosan reduces side effects of synthetic medications, too. And after the Chernobyl disaster, Doctors from the Ukraine travelled to Japan to learn how Chitosan could reduce the effects of radiation on the immune system. Later, Dr. Zemskoff of the National Kiev Clinical Research Hospital concluded that Chitosan had decreased pain and fatigue while improving appetite, motivation to live and other quality of life (QOL) indicators for radiation patients there. They noted increased physiological activation and it was concluded that Chitosan is effective against radiation sickness. Measurements of Chitosan’s ability to adsorb and excrete radioactive elements showed that in just 2 weeks, over 50% of the K70 and Ru106 was detoxified and over 65% of the Cs137 was eliminated as well. It appears to be wise to keep a supply of Chitosan on hand in case of any nuclear disaster.
• Immunity: Recent studies reveal that Chitosan stimulates the immune system. Chitosan also reduces immune stress as shown by a reduction in the number of macrophages in the bloodstream. Natural Killer cells are increased 4 to 5 fold.
• Plaque: Studies using chitosan in chewing gum show that chitosan increases the saliva pH and actually binds to the bacteria that cause plaque and tooth decay. Openning Chitosan capsules in the mouth could provide similar benefits.
• Skin Problems: Dr. Akemi Kataoka reports on her extensive clinical application of Chitosan, “It is effective against various bacteria and fungi. Our clinic cures well athlete’s foot, psoriasis and skin diseases that Western medicine has a difficulty treating, by giving chitosan orally or applying it topically to the skin.” Chitosan combines its antimicrobial powers with immune activation and improved wound healing abilities. In additional to oral use, it can be dissolved in dilute vinegar (acetic acid) and then either added to bath water (about 2/3 of an ounce) or diluted for direct topical application to problem skin areas. Taking the solution orally can also be helpful for problems in the mouth and esophagus.
• Tumors: Chitosan impairs tumor growth in vivo, yet studies show no toxic or allergic side effects on animals even when consuming up to 1O% Chitosan in their daily diet. Chitosan increases NK cells that selectively kill cancer cells by a factor of 4 to 5 times. A study of 800 people at Saitama Cancer Center found the the higher the NK cell activity is, the lower is the liklihood of cancer. Chitosan increases another type of lymphocyte, the LAK cell, as well, enhancing the immune system’s cancer killing activity another 3-fold. In addition, Chitosan relieves cancer pain by counteracting Toxohormone ‘L’ which is excreted by cancer cells. Dr. Ichiro Azuma, president of Immunology Institute at Hokkaido University reports that Chitosan prevents cancer metastasis as well. Chitosan prevents cancer cells from getting into the blood vessels, and furthermore prevents any present in the blood from getting out into the tissues to seed a new tumor. In one study, isolated components of Chitosan even blocked cancer cell reproduction, one by 85% and another by 93%. No wonder the Japanese are calling Chitosan a “Nobel Prize” substance.
• Wound Healing: Chitosan helps blood to coagulate, an important step in healing injured tissues. A Chitosan solution applied topically to wounds inhibits scar-forming fibroblasts, while accelerating wound healing by over 30%. Standard sutures coated with chitosan show wound-healing activities only slightly lower than all-chitin fibers. Surgical gauze coated with chitosan demonstrates substantially greater activity than an uncoated control group. Surgical grafts connecting major arteries also show reduced leakage when using Chitosan.

Quality and Effectiveness

Food grade chitosan has been shown in both "in vitro" and "in vivo" studies to bind 4 to 6 times its weight in fat. When combined with ascorbic acid, its ability to bind lipids increases to 6 to 8 times. Clinical studies show that when ascorbic acid is added to pharmaceutical grade chitosan its effectiveness is almost doubled. Chitosan can bind as much as half to two thirds of the high calorie foods we eat.

Recommended Use: Take 2-4 capsules, or more if body weight is over 150 pounds, with an eight ounce glass of water up to 30 minutes before heavy meals. Take more with high fat content meals. Japanese doctors recomend a total of 4 capsules per day for health maintenance, 6 to 8 for chronic discomfort or fatigue, and 8 to 10 when ill. In the case of more severe illness, up to 15 capsules per day are suggested. If flu-like symptoms of a ‘detoxification reaction’ appear, reduce the dosage until symptoms clear. For pets, usually one capsule per day is sufficient.

Chitosan X-tra may be taken with 1-2 grams of Vitamin C for increased effectiveness. For best results, use Chitosan X-tra with a balanced low fat diet and additional supplements like StarGold, Weight-Less, moderate exercise such as rebounding, adequate rest and 6 to 8 glasses of Microwater and/or Coral-Calcium water daily, as with any fiber supplement or health regimen. DHEA works synergistically with Chitosan X-tra, as it inhibits the enzyme G6PD responsible for storing fat. Other synergistic supplements include Digestzymes, Ester-C Complex, Chromium and Friendly-Flora. Chitosan is also reported to be safe for children and people who are slender but have high cholesterol levels. Take essential fatty acids and other fat soluble dietary supplements two to four hours before or after taking Chitosan Plus. Specific Starfire products you should be aware of are Muti Miracle, Unique E, StarGold, Garlic and any supplement containing essential fatty acids (e.g. DHA-250, Primrose Oil, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Borage Oil) or vitamins A, D, E or K.

Note: Individuals with shellfish allergies and pregnant or lactating women should consult a health care practitioner before taking this product. Check with your physician before taking chitosan if you are taking prescription medication of any kind.

Chitosan Demonstration

Materials: 10 drops of a yellow colored oil such as peanut oil (or whole milk), pure filtered water, a clear glass with no soap residues, 2 capsules of Chitosan X-tra and a fork.

Procedure:
1. Fill a clear glass with water.
2. Add 10 drops (1/4 tsp) of yellow colored oil (or whole milk).
3. Empty 2 Chitosan Plus capsules onto the mixture.
4. Gently stir with a fork for 5 to 10 seconds.
5. In about 15 seconds, the fat will be absorbed and separate out, floating or sinking depending upon the specific gravity of the resulting ‘grease ball.’
6. Remove the ‘grease ball’ with the fork if closer inspection is desired.

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