CLA shows significant promise to decrease body fat and increase lean muscle mass says Dr. Corey Scott.
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Dr. Corey E. Scott
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A rapid increase in scientific publications on CLA worldwide over the past decade is yielding growing promise for this unique fatty acid as a tool to aid in fat loss in humans, says Dr. Corey Scott of Lipid Nutrition, B.V.
"There is a growing body of evidence indicating that CLA can play a role in decreasing body fat and increasing lean muscle mass," says Scott, who delivered a presentation at the CLA Summit 2007 titled "New studies of CLA on the effects on regional fat mass and glucose metabolism in humans."
Much of the promise centres on two CLA isomers – CLA 9,11 and CLA 10,12. "Studies indicate that CLA 10,12 targets fat mass and CLA 9,11 can increase lean tissue," says Scott.
There are now approximately over 60 publications of human studies investigating CLA, based on over 40 trials involving more than 2,100 subjects. Close examination of trends in these studies reveals a clear pattern of evidence indicating CLA affects body fat mass and lean body mass, says Scott.
In its own research, Lipid Nutrition, B.V., which markets lipid products, has examined CLA efficacy in target populations, monitoring changes in key areas of regional fat mass including the arms, waist / hips and legs. The company has also investigated the safety of CLA by examining its effects on a variety of important body composition parameters.
One recent Lipid Nutrition study was based on a trial that examined effects of a CLA mix on regional fat mass in healthy overweight and obese men and women over a period of six months. After six months, results showed subjects had an average reduction in body fat mass of 2 kg or 5.6 percent and an average increase in lean body mass of 0.4 kg or 1.2 percent.
Overall, the trial showed a trend for CLA to reduce weight, body mass index and waist and hip circumference; and concluded that CLA reduces fat mass region specifically; CLA increases lean body mass; and that all blood lipid and inflammatory safety parameters remained within the normal range. "The trial showed clear benefits to the CLA supplementation," says Scott. "It also showed that the CLA mixture used is safe in healthy overweight and obese subjects."
Scott also provided an overview of new research related to CLA and insulin sensitivity. He noted that previous studies suggest that individual isomers of CLA may have an effect on glucose metabolism in certain populations, but commercially available 50:50 CLA mixtures of the key CLA isomers CLA 9,11 and CLA 10,12 have shown no negative effect.
A recent Lipid Nutrition study evaluating human subjects over a period of six months showed that the company's commercially available mixture of CLA at 3.4 g / day has no negative effects on either glucose metabolism or insulin resistance in healthy overweight and obese subjects. Insulin sensitivity was also unaffected.
Reprintable with credit. Individual articles in the Report on CLA Summit 2007 are available for reprint, with acknowledgement of the source: The CLA Network. For broader reprint requests or reprint assistance contact the CLA Network at CLAnetwork@gov.ab.ca.
