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[liftsiron]

Study Supports CLA’s Benefits for Weight-Loss
Fibromyalgiasupport.com

10-04-2001


Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a fatty acid related to the omega-6 fatty acids - one of the two types of essential fatty acids, and is derived from safflower oil. Although CLA occurs naturally in meat and dairy products, most people do not consume adequate amounts through diet alone. Scientists estimate that our food supply once contained much higher levels of CLA before the advent of modern agriculture.

CLA is receiving attention in the media as a weight-loss aid. Several scientific studies have demonstrated CLA’s use as a weight-loss agent. Not only does CLA nutritionally support healthy fat loss but studies indicate it also simultaneously increases lean muscle mass.

The research supporting CLA’s weight-loss characteristics shows notable results in both animals and humans. In an animal study, mice fed the human equivalent of 3000mg to 4000mg a day of CLA achieved a 60% reduction in body fat and a 14% increase in lean body mass. Another study at Louisiana State University showed up to an 88% reduction in the body fat of male mice fed CLA, in only six weeks.

In a recent study with human participants, people who took CLA had significant reduction in body fat gain with no serious side effects. Recent findings, published in The Journal of Nutrition (December 2000, Volume 130 #12), reported that people taking this supplement lost “statistically significant amounts of weight” without otherwise changing their diets.

The researchers also discovered that CLA reduces body fat by increasing basal metabolic rates, which means the body becomes more efficient at converting the same quantity of food consumed into energy.

CLA is also a powerful antioxidant agent. In the body it is taken up by phospholipids, a class of fats that serve as the principal structural components of cell membranes. CLA enhances the cell membrane’s defense mechanism against attack by free radicals. Free radicals can dangerously alter the shape and form of a cell if left to their own devices. Antioxidant activity in a test-tube model has shown that CLA has the ability to reduce peroxide formation by more than 90% — peroxide is a dangerous free radical.

Comparative studies have shown that CLA is approximately two times more powerful an antioxidant than beta-carotene. Another study concluded that CLA “may produce substances which protect cells from the detrimental effect of peroxides” (J Am Coll Nutr 2000 Apr;19(2 Suppl): 111S-118S.) Peroxides are one type of ‘free radical’ that can cause permanent cell damage. The anti-oxidant properties of CLA also contribute to its immune strengthening activities. HW

 

[40butpumpin]

Nice post brother!

liftsiron, I was reading that CLA taken with Guarana makes the combo more effective than either taken alone. Check this out from lef.org...

More recent studies have revealed even more exciting news about CLA’s anti-obesity effects. It seems CLA can reduce the volume of adipocytes, or fat cells, in the body. In a particular study, mice were given CLA or CLA plus guarana, a herb that contains a form of caffeine called guaranine that is 2.5 times stronger than the caffeine found in coffee and other drinks. In just 6 weeks, there was significant reduction in fat mass in both groups. However, the group of mice that were fed the combination CLA/guarana lost fat because the size and number of adipocytes decreased, while the CLA only group lost fat due to a reduction in fat cell size alone (FASEB Journal, v. 16, no. 5, pt. I; March 22, 2002).

Importantly, the guaranine does not cause a caffeine rush some people may experience when drinking coffee. The slow-releasing compound, which releases into the system in over as much as 6 hours, temporarily increases body temperature and metabolism, resulting in fat loss.

One can thus conclude that the combination of guarana and CLA could have a profound effect on controlling weight and preventing obesity.

 

[liftsiron]

Thanks 40BP I've read some studies that suggested better results with cla combined with caffeine. I'll look into the guaranine issue a little more thourghly. It sounds good.

 

[THeMaCHinE]

Here's what I don't understand, CLA = conjugated linoleic acid; at the same time, omega-6 fats are linoleic acids. Our diets are already high in omega-6 fats (at least, from the standpoint of omega-3 to omega-6 fat ratios) -- supplementing with omega-6 is generally not recommended, so why does/would CLA (reportedly) work? Does the conjugation (which means what in respect to CLA?) make the difference?

 

[Mysterio]

Great post!~

 

[40butpumpin]

Check this out, liftsiron...

How gaurana induces fat loss

Guarana is an herb that contains a form of caffeine called guaranine, which is 2.5 times stronger than the caffeine found in coffee, tea and soft drinks. What makes guaranine unique from caffeine found in beverages is its slower release. That's because the guarana seed is fatty (even in powder form) and is not readily water-soluble. Therefore the body does not quickly absorb it.

Since the guaranine is released slowly, the energy boost that is experienced from guarana is not like that of coffee with its sudden rush and quick drop-off. Rather, it continues to escalate over hours.

While caffeine from beverages provides a short-lived energy burst that overheats and excites the body, guaranine has a cooling action that revitalizes and relaxes. This is because guarana contains other components that modify the activity of this substance. The end result is more beneficial to the body than tea or coffee.

Caffeine accelerates the effectiveness of CLA, thus making CLA a more potent fat burner. Guarana has been shown to stimulate the migration of lipids so fat can be burned as energy. It is also an appetite suppressant.

Guarana aids in a temporary, natural increase in body temperature and metabolic thermogenesis through nutritional stimulation of the body's ß receptor pathway, which can induce the breakdown and release of stored body fat, thereby allowing stored fats to be turned into energy.

Thermogenesis refers to the body's production of heat, a normal part of metabolic processes. Thermogenesis can be enhanced by certain nutritional substances. When stimulated through appropriate dietary supplementation, thermogenesis is also a mechanism that increases metabolic rate. Stored body fat, if released and available for use, can provide the fuel for this increased metabolic rate. Other active constituents of guarana are theobromine and theophylline, which are called xanthines (a class of thermogenic substances found in coffee, tea and certain beans). They have some effect on increasing metabolic rate, suppressing appetite and enhancing both physical and mental performance. They also act as muscle relaxants and possess diuretic properties.

Guarana increases mental alertness, fights fatigue, and increases stamina and physical endurance. Native to Brazil, guarana is taken daily as a health tonic by millions of Brazilians. It is reported to help overcome heat fatigue, detoxify the blood and is useful for flatulence and obesity. In body care products, it has been used for its tonifying and astringent properties, and in the treatment of cellulite.

In the United States, guarana holds a GRAS-status (Generally Regarded As Safe). In 1989 a patent was filed on a guarana seed extract that was capable of inhibiting platelet aggregation in mammals. The patent described guarana's ability to prevent the formation of blood clots and to help in the breakdown of clots that had already been formed. Clinical evidence was presented in conjunction with the patent in 1989 and again in 1991 by a Brazilian research group demonstrating these antiaggregation properties. Guarana has a long history of use as an energy tonic and for mental acuity enhancement.

Clinical studies on guarana

In a study published in the June 2001 issue of the Journal of Human Nutrition Diet, guarana extract induced weight loss over 45 days in overweight patients taking a mixed herbal preparation containing yerbe mate, guarana and damiana. Body weight reductions were 11.22 pounds in the guarana group compared to less than one pound in the placebo group after 45 days.[22]

Guarana extract and fractions decreased platelet aggregation up to 37% of control values and platelet thromboxane formation from arachidonic acid up to 78% of control values. When platelets hyperaggregate and/or when excess thromboxane formation occurs, an arterial blood clot can develop, resulting in a heart attack or ischemic stroke.[23]

In a 1997 study, guarana increased physical activity of rats, increased physical endurance under stress and increased memory, with single doses as well as with chronic doses. Interestingly enough, the study revealed that a whole guarana seed extract performed better and more effectively than did a comparable dosage of caffeine or ginseng extract.[24]

Another Brazilian research group has been studying guarana's apparent effect of increasing memory. Its antibacterial properties against E. coli and Salmonella have been documented as well.

A 1998 toxicology study with animals have shown that guarana is nontoxic at even high dosages of up to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight. This same study demonstrated guarana's antioxidant properties saying, "Guarana showed an antioxidant effect because, even at low concentrations (1.2 microg/ml), it inhibited the process of lipid peroxidation."[25]

A major advantage to taking guarana in an oil base capsule is its relatively slow release into the body. In a study published in the journal Pharmacology Biochemical Behavior, a comparison was made of the absorption of caffeine from coffee, cola or capsules. Based on saliva caffeine concentrations, the absorption from capsules was about 40% slower than that of coffee or colas. These capsules were not oil-based, yet the rate of caffeine absorption was still significantly slower than coffee or cola.[26]

Conclusion

The effect of CLA on blocking excess absorption of serum glucose and fatty acids into adipocytes (fat cells) is remarkable. CLA induces a reduction in the size of adipocytes. One reason people gain weight as they age is that their adipocytes literally become fatter.

Another cause of increased body fat storage is the proliferation of adipocytes. While CLA helps block the absorption of fat and sugar into adipocytes, it does not reduce the actual number of adipocytes present. Guarana has been shown to specifically reduce the number of adipocytes. When CLA was combined with guarana, there was a 50% reduction in adipocyte number.

While many published studies document the fat-reducing effects of CLA, the fact that CLA may protect against cancer, vascular disease and Type II diabetes makes it a preferred supplement for health conscious people to use daily.

In response to the study showing an added benefit when CLA is combined with guarana, a new supplement has been formulated that contains potencies of CLA and guarana that have demonstrated fat-losing effects in published studies.

 

[nikolai_bolkov]

This sounds very promising.

Anyone know the name of the supplement that combines CLA and Guarana.

Worth a try.

 

[lawnsaver]

There isnt one yet, but use a Xenadrine EFX product. That would be a very potent combo. Green tea is a great addition too!

 

[40butpumpin]

This sounds very promising.

Anyone know the name of the supplement that combines CLA and Guarana.

Worth a try.

http://www.lef.org/prod_desc/item00576.html

 

[lawnsaver]

http://www.lef.org/prod_desc/item00576.html

I stand corrected!! It would be much cheaper to find them separately.