Conjugated linoleic acid is a natural substance found in many of our
foods that according to many studies can reduce fat and improve muscle mass in
the body. Taken as a supplement with no change in eating or exercise habits, it
would not make you lose weight but it could help you lose fat. It is often

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Conjugated linoleic acid is a natural substance found in many of our
foods that according to many studies can reduce fat and improve muscle mass in
the body. Taken as a supplement with no change in eating or exercise habits, it
would not make you lose weight but it could help you lose fat. It is often
taken by men looking to lose weight and bodybuild at the same time, but it can
also be useful for anyone who is overweight and under-exercising, as any
increase in muscle will increase the metabolism, burning more calories. 

Like many natural weight loss products, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
combined with a flexible healthy eating plan can lead to gradual long term
weight loss and help you get out of the yoyo dieting cycle where you are
constantly losing and gaining the same 10, 20 or 50 pounds. Yoyo dieting is
very bad for the health. It is better to remain overweight than to keep on
losing and gaining, losing and gaining.

Most experts (unless they are trying to sell you something) agree that
the diet that works best in the long term is the non-diet, where instead of
eating special foods and banning others, you eat slightly smaller quantities of
a normal healthy diet. If you are currently living entirely on pizza, fries and
chocolate, then okay, some changes may be overdue. But you can still have small
portions of all of those foods from time to time. If this is the kind of diet
that you want, then CLA can help reinforce your plan by boosting your fat loss.
Dr Michael Pariza of University of Wisconsin-Madison reported to the American
Chemical Society that CLA “doesn’t make a big fat cell get little. What it
rather does is keep a little fat cell from getting big.”

Many studies have been done on CLA. One study published in the Journal
of Nutrition found that people taking CLA lost on average six pounds of body
fat more than a group that took a placebo. The researchers discovered that you
need around 3.4 grams of CLA per day for it to be effective. CLA is found in
food, especially meat and dairy products, but supplementation is necessary for
most people to reach that level.

Another study at Purdue
University, Indiana,
found that CLA improved insulin levels in about two-thirds of diabetics, and
slightly decreased their blood glucose level and triglyceride levels,
suggesting that it may help to maintain normal insulin levels. But see your
doctor before taking any supplements if you have diabetes.

There are no magic pills for weight loss but if you are willing to
commit to reducing your body fat permanently, CLA may help you. Keep in mind
that its main effect is to convert fat to muscle, which by itself will not
weigh any less. But your body will look slimmer and feel healthier if you do
this, and combined with a good weight control eating plan conjugated linoleic
acid can help you move toward your ideal weight too.

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