CLA Benefits
CLA Benefits for Quick Weight Loss: A pioneering Norwegian human study found that CLA-supplemented subjects
lost up to 20% of their body fat in three months without changing their diet,
while the control subjects on the average gained a slight amount of body fat
during the same period.
CLA is a very powerful substance. Recent scientific studies have shown that
it helps with everything from weight loss to diabetes to cancer. They also show
that today's foods contain only a small fraction of the CLA content that they
used to. So should you consider taking
CLA supplements
? Look at the following
CLA benefits and decide for yourself...
Proven CLA benefits include:
- CLA reduces body fat in mice by up to 88%
- A recent study at the Louisiana State University confirmed that feeding
male mice a CLA-enriched diet for six weeks resulted in 43% to 88% lower body
fat, especially in regard to abdominal fat. In another study, performed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, mice supplemented
with only .5% of CLA showed up to 60% lower body fat and up to 14% increased
lean body mass compared to controls. The researchers discovered that CLA-fed
animals showed greater activity of enzymes involved in the delivery of fatty
acids to the muscle cells and the utilization of fat for energy, while the
enzymes facilitating fat deposition were inhibited.
- CLA improves insulin sensitivity
- A study using diabetic rats indicates that part of CLA's effectiveness in
preventing obesity may lie in its ability to act as a potent insulin sensitizer,
thus lowering insulin resistance and consequently insulin levels. Since elevated
insulin is the chief pro-obesity agent, it is important to keep insulin within
the normal range. By activating certain enzymes and enhancing glucose transport
into the cells, CLA acts to lower blood sugar levels and normalize insulin
levels.
- CLA inhibits the growth of prostate cancer
while linoleic acid promotes it - Immuno-deficient mice inoculated with human
prostate cancer cells were fed either a standard diet, a diet supplemented
with 1% linoleic acid, or a diet supplemented with 1% CLA. Mice receiving
linoleic acid showed significantly higher body weight and increased tumor
load compared with the two other groups. CLA-supplemented mice, on the other
hand, showed the lowest tumor load and a dramatic reduction in lung metastasis.
- CLA supplementation helps prevent the initiation,
promotion and metastasis of breast cancer - In a study performed
at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, 50 day-old rats were treated
with a potent carcinogen and then supplemented with 1% CLA for 4, 8 or 20
weeks. Only rats receiving CLA for the full 20 weeks showed tumor inhibition.
In another study,it was found that, besides inhibiting tumor growth, CLA totally
prevented the metastasis of breast cancer to the lungs and bone marrow.
- Immune-enhancing effects of CLA -
CLA has been found to stimulate the production of lymphocytes and of interleukin-2,
and to increase the levels of certain immunoglobulins, while lowering the
release of immunoglobulin E, associated with allergies. Improved immune function
resulting from CLA supplementation can also be postulated on the basis of
its ability to lower the production of immunosuppressive compounds such as
leukotrienes and series II prostaglandins, and to improve insulin sensitivity
(elevated insulin leads to immunosuppression)
- Anti-Atherogenic effects of CLA
- It has been shown that CLA improves insulin sensitivity. Since elevated
insulin promotes atherosclerosis, any agent that lowers insulin levels by
improving insulin sensitivity can be classified as anti-atherogenic. However,
CLA has also been shown to have further anti-atherogenie benefits thanks to
its ability to improve serum lipids and to its tocopherol (Vitamin E)-sparing
effect.
- CLA lowers cholesterol and triglycerides,
helps keep arteries clean - A study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
found that rabbits supplemented with .5g CLA/day showed markedly lower total
and LDL cholesterol, lower LDL to HDL ratio, lower total cholesterol to HDL
ratio, and lower serum triglycerides.
A study done at the University of Massachusetts confirmed that hamsters whose
diets were supplemented with CLA showed significantly lower total cholesterol,
LDL cholesterol and triglycerides compared to controls. The serum of CLA-fed
hamsters also showed higher tocopherol/cholesterol ratios, indicating that
CLA has a tocopherol- sparing effect (that is, being less oxidizable than
linoleic acid, it does not require as much Vitamin E for antioxidant protection).
- Possible anti-osteoporosis effects of CLA
- A study done at Purdue University showed that in various rat tissue cultures,
including bone tissue, supplemental CLA (at 1% of diet) decreased the levels
of omega-6 fatty acids and total monosaturated fatty acids, while increasing
the concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids and saturated acids. Since inflammatory
compounds lead to bone loss, CLA might potentially be of use in preventing
osteoporosis.
- The Safety of CLA - In a study
conducted by the Nutrition Department of Kraft Foods, male rats were fed a
diet of 1.5% CLA, which is 50 times higher than the estimated upper-range
human intake. The animals were examined weekly for any signs of toxicity;
no toxicity was found. The study confirmed that CLA supplementation is safe
even at high doses. Nevertheless, high doses are not necessary for obtaining
the benefits of CLA.
- Human studies on CLA - A
pioneering Norwegian human study found that CLA-supplemented subjects lost
up to 20% of their body fat in three months without changing their diet, while
the control subjects on the average gained a slight amount of body fat during
the same period.
As you can see, there are many, many CLA benefits. Obviously, if you're interested
in losing body fat and maintaining optimum health, you should strongly consider
taking a good CLA supplement.
Learn more about CLA benefits at Vitamins-Etc.com
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