May Help Reduce Body Fat
Dramatic new research has identified a fatty acid that may positively influence body composition. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), found mainly in meat and dairy products, used to be abundant in our diets. But with the trend to lower fat diets, our CLA intake also is declining.
It is an irony that so many Americans seem to be getting fatter, even as we eat less fatty foods. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin may have found an explanation for this paradox. Their studies suggest CLA may be an important nutrient for optimal body composition, possibly helping to reduce body fat and increase muscle.
Aware consumers are unlikely to go back to the unhealthy, meat-laden diets of the past. But today CLA is available from pure sunflower oil.
Research Uncovers an Unrecognized Fatty Acid
CLA is a term referring to a group of derivatives of the essential fatty acid, linoleic acid. CLA, a polyunsaturated fatty acid, is found naturally in certain foods, especially meat and dairy products. CLA has been known for more than 18 years, but studies of its relationship to body composition are more recent. Studies now suggest that CLA may positively influence our bodies’ efficiency in using food, and have a beneficial effect on the balance between fat and muscle in our bodies.
Clinical trials are now underway to explore the mechanism by which CLA works, and to determine whether the results of these laboratory and animal tests are also applicable to humans.
Additional Benefits
CLA may have a number of other benefits for our bodily systems. In fact, the University of Wisconsin researchers first discovered CLA’s role in influencing body composition as a result of research they were carrying out on CLA’s other properties. Among other important functions, CLA may be beneficial for our cardiovascular system due to its role in helping maintain normal cholesterol levels.
CLA: Insufficient in Today’s Diet
CLA used to be abundant in our diets. Today, however, Americans are eating less beef and full-fat dairy products. This translates to lower levels of CLA in our diets.
CLA content is also much lower than it used to be in beef. Researchers believe this may be related to changes in the way cattle are fed. The green grass eaten by grazing cows is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids including linoleic acid. Cows have a unique digestive system that converts linoleic acid to CLA - a close chemical relative of linoleic acid. The CLA is then stored in the cows’ tissues. It is possible that, since cattle today are predominantly fed oats, barley and hay rather than grazing on grass, they are no longer producing as much CLA.
A Plant-Based Alternative
Now, with Source Naturals Tonalin™ CLA, you can derive the benefits of CLA without consuming large amounts of animal fat. Tonalin CLA is manufactured by a proprietary process from sunflower oil.
Source Naturals Tonalin CLA is available in 1000 mg softgels, consisting of 600 mg of CLA standardized to contain 40% cis-9-trans-11-octadecadienoic acid, one of CLA’s most important constituents. Three softgels - the suggested daily use - provide approximately the same amount of CLA as eating five pounds of beef, or 45 one-ounce slices of processed American cheese, or almost a gallon of ice cream every day!
References:
• Belury, Martha A. & Vanden Heuvel, John P. (1997). Nutrition & Disease Update Journal: 1(2) (in press).
• Chin, S. F. et al. (1992). Journal of Food Composition and Analysis:5. 185-97.
• Pariza, M. et al. (1996). Abstract of Speech at Environmental Biology ‘96, Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin: Madison.
• Parodi, P.W. (1994). Australian Journal of Dairy Technology. Dairy Research and Development Corporation: Victoria.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid is licensed under U.S. patents: 5,428,072; 5,430,066; and 5,554,646. Tonalin™ is a trademark of Pharmanutrients USA |
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