Here's an interesting tidbit about CLA, from this month's Shape magazine
Quote:
CLA - a mixture of compounds similar to linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid, is not the weight loss wonder it's touted to be on many web sites and it may even have unhealthy side effects. Although CLA appears to cause fat loss in animals, a review of 13 studies published in 2003 in the Journal of Lipid Research found that the supplement was of little benefit to humans.
Research suggests, too, that it may be dangerous to take high doses of CLA, though no safe or unsafe dosages have been determined. Most manufacturers sell it in 750 to 1000 milligram pills; their recommended dosage can vary from one to three pills daily, and many manufacturers' labels suggest taking CLA with a meal.
"There's a potential link to insulin resistance, which can be a precurser to diabetes" with CLA, says nutritional bio-chemist Sara Kurlandsky, Ph.D., an assistant prefessor of nutrition at Syracuse University in New York. Also, she explains, CLA acts in the body like a trans fatty acid, which has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Like other trans fats, the supplement may cause a reduction in the levels of HDL cholesterol, the "good" kind, as well as an increase in a protein associated with heart disease risk. The bottom line: Put CLA back on the shelf.
Suzanne 3FC , 10-30-2003 06:23 PM
slimmingsi , 01-13-2004 06:47 PM
