Fat To Energy (CT–432)
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
FACTS
It’s called the American Paradox. Although dieting is the national pastime, Americans are actually getting fatter. In fact, one out of three Americans is obese, which is defined as 30 percent above their ideal body weight. Why? Ironically, some scientists believe that in our quest to lose weight, we are not eating enough fat, or at least the right kind of fat. The fat that is missing from our diet is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is found in red meat, lamb, and dairy products. Although these foods contain some of this good fat, they do not get a clean bill of health, since they are very high in calories and are also packed with saturated fat, which can promote cancer and heart disease.
What’s good about CLA? It helps the body regulate fat and protein metabolism. Numerous studies have shown that CLA can offer some spectacular health benefits, and in particular can reduce the amount of body fat while increasing muscle. Since muscle burns excess calories, the more muscle you have, the less like you are to become overweight.
It is very difficult to get enough CLA from food alone. For one thing, many of us avoid foods that are rich in CLA. For another, changes in livestock feeding methods have caused the CLA content in food to decline by nearly 80 percent over the past two decades.
We can make up for this shortfall by taking CLA supplements. Laboratory studies have shown that CLA can block cancer formation in animals exposed to known carcinogens and can also prevent atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. CLA can also raise HDL, or “good” cholesterol and can lower elevated triglycerides, a major risk factor for heart disease. It is no surprise that CLA supplements are gaining in popularity. In fact, not only has CLA attracted the attention of people who want to shed excess weight, it is fast becoming a favorite among body builders who want to maximize their muscles.
Possible Benefits
Reduces body fat.
Promotes weight loss.
Enhances muscle tone.
Prevents heart disease.
Protects against many different types of cancer.
The Right Amount
Take three 600 – 1200 mg. daily before meals.
Food Sources: Lamb, red meats, and dairy products. Modern farming and processing methods have lead to a significant reduction of the CLA fat content in these sources, estimated to be 1/5 of what it was.
During a vigorous workout, your body pumps out anabolic hormones like testosterone and growth hormone that help build muscle. At the same time, however, you are also subjecting your body to stress, which will result in the production of catabolic, or muscle-wasting, hormones such as cortisol, which can counteract the effect of the muscle building hormones. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a fatty acid that was originally used to fatten cattle and block the negative effect of stress hormones on livestock. When put to the test on humans by enterprising researcher, CLA was shown to reduce body fat while increasing muscle, which suggests that it may negate the effect of the muscle-wasting hormones. It may also be useful for people who want to lose weight.
Main body parts that it benefits: Blood, muscles, nerves, skin