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Chitin

All articles tagged with #chitin

health2 years ago

"Exploring Natural Sources for Weight Loss: Crustaceans, Mushrooms, and Insects"

Consuming chitin, a form of dietary fiber found in the exoskeletons of crustaceans and insects, as well as in mushrooms and other fungi, may enhance digestion, lower body fat, and promote weight loss, according to a study by researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine. The study, conducted on mice, found that chitin activated the immune system and improved metabolic health, particularly in mice that were unable to break down chitin. While the study is limited to animal models, experts recommend consuming a variety of fiber-rich foods to support overall health and meet the recommended daily intake of 25-35 grams of fiber.

via Medical News Today|
#chitin#dietary-fiber#digestion
health2 years ago

"Shellfish Shells: A Metabolism-Boosting Delicacy"

A study with mice suggests that consuming chitin, a dietary fiber found in crustacean shells, insects, and mushrooms, can activate the immune system and benefit metabolism. Researchers found that digesting chitin engages the immune system, leading to less weight gain, reduced body fat, and resistance to obesity. The study also revealed that chitin digestion involves stomach cells ramping up production of enzymes to break down chitin. Mice that ate chitin but couldn't break it down gained the least amount of weight and resisted obesity. The findings may have implications for combating obesity in humans.

via Futurity: Research News|
#chitin#crustaceans#health
health2 years ago

"Chitin's Immune-Boosting Power Unveiled in Digestion Process"

A study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that digesting chitin, a dietary fiber found in insect exoskeletons, mushrooms, and crustacean shells, engages the immune system and is linked to less weight gain, reduced body fat, and resistance to obesity in mice. The researchers discovered that chitin digestion activates an innate immune response, leading to the production of enzymes that break down chitin. Interestingly, the study also found that the greatest impact on obesity occurred when chitin activated the immune system but was not fully digested. The researchers plan to further investigate these findings in humans to determine if chitin could be used to help control obesity.

via Medical Xpress|
#chitin#digestion#health
science2 years ago

Exoskeleton particles and desert dust fuel growth of ocean microbes.

MIT scientists propose that ancestors of Prochlorococcus, the most abundant phytoplankton in the oceans today, acquired the ability to latch onto chitin particles and use them as rafts to venture further out to sea. These chitin rafts may have also provided essential nutrients, fueling and sustaining the microbes along their journey. This allowed them to establish a foothold in an entirely new and massive part of the planet’s biosphere, in a way that changed the Earth forever. The researchers present their new “chitin raft” hypothesis, along with experiments and genetic analyses supporting the idea, in a study appearing this week in PNAS.

via MIT News|
#chitin#evolution#photosynthesis