Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is a naturally occurring trans isomer of linoleic acid. The highest sources of CLA are found in beef and dairy products (ruminant meats, poultry, eggs, cheeses, milk and yogurt). Special treatment of safflower and sunflower oils can produce CLA for linoleic acid. The exact mechanism of CLAs action is not clearly understood. This is partly due to the fact that there are several isomers of CLA each of which may have different biological effects.
CLA has shown a hypolipidemic effect on rats, mice, rabbits, chickens, hamsters and in several other animal models. Fatty plaque or atherosclerotic lesions have shown significant regression in CLA-supplemented animals. CLAs effect on lipids appears to be through its influence on specific PPAR receptors involved in lipid metabolism.
CLA appears to reduce body fat and increase lean body mass in animal models. This seems to be independent of food intake.
“This CLA makes big fat cells get little and stay that way”, asserts one researcher.
In a recent preliminary study involving 60 overweight subjects, CLA reduced body fat mass.
CLA Helps Triglycerides
CLA seems to direct triglycerides away from storage and towards oxidation. A study published in the journal Nutrition discusses what happens after feeding animals an atherogenic diet followed by t10, c12 CLA and then looking at changes in muscle triacylglycerol. The CLA increased food efficiency and gastrocnemius muscle weight. CLA feeding also resulted in decreased muscle triacylglycerol content. The researchers concluded the following: “Decreased fatty acid uptake and increased fatty acid oxidation can contribute to the decreased muscle triacylglycerol content observed in hamsters fed the CLA diets. The increase in muscle fatty acid beta-oxidation might ultimately prevent storage of triacylglycerols in adipose tissue
Category
