Weight
Loss Supplement Burns Body Fat
April 01, 2005
These days, a dietary supplement which has caught the
fancy of Americans is CLA or conjugated linoleic acid,
or CLA. This is because it is believed that CLA can
help obese people both lose
weight and increase muscle mass.
The manufacturer of CLA has funded a new study to study
the effects of their weight loss supplement. The research
findings support the belief that CLA aids both weight
loss and increase in muscle mass. But, a word of caution,
because experts say that the claims about the supplement
far outweigh the science. The researcher who discovered
CLA says that while it can help people replace fat with
muscle, it is no miracle weight loss aid. Experts say
that if someone takes CLA to lose weight but doesn't
change their diet or exercise patterns they are going
to be disappointed.
What is CLA?
CLA is a natural occurring fatty acid found in meats
and dairy products, with claims of helping people lose
fat, maintain weight loss, retain lean muscle mass,
and control type 2 diabetes -- the type of diabetes
that is often associated with obesity.
This popular dietary supplement is now sold in health
food stores and on the Internet.
A study was conducted involving 180 people who were
overweight, those who took CLA for a year lost between
7% and 9% of their body fat even though they did not
change their lifestyles or eating habits. But CLA users
lost only a modest amount of weight -- 4 pounds during
the yearlong study. And the investigation did little
to silence concerns about the long-term safety of the
supplement. The volunteers taking CLA had changes in
certain heart disease risk factors.
CLA users had slightly higher LDL "bad" cholesterol
and slightly lower HDL "good" cholesterol
than nonusers. And the CLA group had higher white blood
cell counts and lipoprotein (a) levels -- also known
as lipoprotein little (a). Both are markers of inflammation
linked to heart disease. In this follow-up study, 134
of the overweight participants either continued taking
CLA for another year or could start taking the supplement
if they had been in the placebo group. Both groups took
3.4 grams of CLA a day and continued their normal lifestyle
habits. They ate what they wanted without restricting
calories and continued their usual amounts of physical
activity.
The study was funded by the company that markets Tonalin
CLA, the largest selling brand of the supplement. The
findings are reported in the April 1 issue of The Journal
of Nutrition.
The group that had already been taking CLA lost no
more weight or body fat, but they maintained the body
fat losses seen in the previous year. People who began
taking the supplement during year two of the study lost
an average of 3.5 pounds and also saw reductions in
overall body fat.
The safety picture for those who took the supplement
for two years was somewhat reassuring. Total cholesterol
and LDL cholesterol were reduced slightly, while HDL
cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting blood glucose
levels remained unchanged. But there were consistent
increases in lipoprotein levels associated with CLA
use. Lipoprotein levels are believed to be independent
predictors of heart disease risk.
CLA use was also associated with increases in white
blood cells and blood platelet counts, which suggested
an inflammatory response to use of the supplement. Inflammatory
responses like these are believed to lead to blood vessel
damage seen in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
CLA may have merit as a weight loss supplement when
combined with another weight-reducing treatment or may
singularly promote loss of body fat and maintenance
of muscle. The supplement also can subsequently reduce
the risk of weight regain.
Source: http://my.webmd.com
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