Lose Belly Fat with CLA
Could adding a supplement
to your healthy weight loss
program help eliminate
stubborn belly fat? CLA
is a naturally occurring
substance found in dairy
products and meat.
A 2006 study showed
that adding Conjugated
Linoleic Acid , or CLA,
to a healthy diet reduced
fat in legs and abdomen
area for women and in
the abdomen area for men.
Participants lost from
1.5 to 3 pounds by simply
adding a CLA supplement
to what they were already doing.
This and other studies have also found that CLA not only reduces fat but preserves muscle tissue. Participants in a December, 2000 study lost an average of 6 pounds and found that about 3.4 grams of CLA per day was the amount needed to induce this reduction in body fat.
In a separate study conducted at Purdue University in Indiana, CLA was found to improve insulin levels in about two-thirds of diabetic patients, and moderately reduced the blood glucose level and triglyceride levels.
Other research on CLA has found these benefits:
- CLA increases metabolic rate-which can benefit those with hypothyroidism
- Enhanced muscle growth-since muscle burns more calories than fat, this could also aid weight loss.
- Lowered cholesterol and triglyceride levels
- Lowered insulin resistance-this is also a risk for hypothyroid patients and lowering insulin resistance could help prevent adult-onset diabetes
- Enhances the immune system-helps the body resist illness and disease
Some preliminary studies have also shown CLA to aid in tumor reduction in animals, but these claims will require much greater investigation to substantiate.
Please keep in mind that studies were done with patients who were consuming a healthy diet and following an exercise program. Some recent reports have found that fat reduction using CLA slowed after several months and in fact, seemed to cause bloating in a small percentage of people. This is why a healthy weight loss plan is important. More research is currently being done on CLA.
Where to find CLA supplements
CLA can be found in health food stores or online. Look for a patented name brand as others may have inconsistent or insufficient amounts of CLA. The brand used in testing was “Tonalin” which is offered in 1,000 mg capsules. The recommended dosage is 3.4 mg per day, which means you would need four per day to gain the benefits of the study. CLA should be taken with meals.
On a personal note, my husband, daughter and I have been taking CLA supplements for about several months, along with a healthy diet and regular exercise program. All of us have seen a marked reduction in abdominal fat and have lost about 4-5 pounds, with this being the only addition or change to our regular health program.
One way to get more CLA into your diet naturally is to seek out grass fed beef, instead of eating commercially raised beef. Grass fed beef is much higher in naturally occurring CLA.
To gain maximum benefit from CLA, follow a low-glycemic diet and a regular exercise program.
Learn the healthy way to solve some common health problems. Find out why cherry juice, coffee and tea are good for you, how to boost your immune system, plus other great health tips.
More Healthy Weight Loss Tips
Learn to take weight off and keep it off the healthy way, including how to eat out and still watch those calories.
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