CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid)

CLA is a fatty acid found in beef and dairy fats. Scientific interest in CLA was stimulated in 1988 when a researcher discovered its cancer-fighting properties in a study of rats fed fried hamburger. CLA cannot be produced by the human body, but it can be obtained through foods such as whole milk, butter, beef, and lamb. The animals get their CLA from fresh grass; it is thought that the CLA is produced by the bacteria that these ruminants have in one of their stomachs and do much of the work of digestion for them.
Pasture-grazed cows had 500% more CLA in their milk than those fed silage.
CLA may be one of the most potent cancer-fighting substances in our diet. In animal studies, as little as one half of one percent CLA in the diet has reduced tumours by more than 50 percent.
CLA has also been shown to reduce body fat in people who are overweight. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study found that CLA reduces fat and preserves muscle tissue. An average reduction of six pounds of body fat was found in the group that took CLA, compared to a placebo group.
Approximately 3.4 grams of CLA per day is the level needed to obtain the beneficial effects of CLA on body fat. This is approximately 5-6 of the most common capsules, which are generally 65-75% CLA.
The CLA research did not find weight loss in its group of 71 overweight people, but what it did find was that when the dieters stopped dieting, and gained back weight, those taking CLA "were more likely to gain muscle and not fat.'' In a separate study, CLA was found to improve insulin levels in about two-thirds of diabetic patients, and moderately reduced the blood glucose level and triglyceride levels.
Findings also suggest that some of the other benefits of CLA include the following:
Preliminary studies indicate that CLA is a powerful anticancer in the rat breast tumour model with an effective range of 0.1-1% in the diet.
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is unique because it is present in food from animal sources, and its anticancer efficacy is expressed at concentrations close to human consumption levels.
CLA increases metabolic rate.
CLA decreases abdominal fat.
CLA enhances muscle growth: Muscle burns fat, which also contributes to increased metabolism, which is useful in weight loss and management.
CLA lowers cholesterol and triglycerides.
CLA lowers insulin resistance: Insulin resistance is a risk for some hypothyroid patients, and reducing it can also help prevent adult-onset diabetes and make it easier to control weight.
CLA reduces food-induced allergic reactions.
CLA enhances the immune system.
If you're interested in taking CLA to help with weight loss, keep in mind that it's not a magic, and you will need to start a program of diet and exercise in order to successfully lose weight and keep it off.