Fat-fighting supplement succeeds in trials

CLA could help keep the fat away

A popular nutritional supplement does help overweight people diet, suggest experts.

And it may help adults who have developed diabetes control their condition.

The first results of human studies into conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) also show that it could help obese adults to lose weight - and keep it off.

An estimated 97m US adults are currently classed as overweight or obese - 55% of the adult population.

Studies into the effects of CLA were carried out in several centres around the world, and in two centres, in Norway and the US, there were significant benefits keeping fat off after a diet.

Eighty took part in the six month US study at the University of Wisconsin.

They dieted and exercised, and most initially lost some weight. Many, however, started putting weight back on once the diet ended.

However, people who did not take CLA put their pounds back on at a ratio of 75% fat to 25% lean muscle.

Obesity is a risk factor for diabetes

Those who did take the supplement put it back on at a ration of 50% fat and 50% lean.

Dr Michael Pariza, director of Wisonsin's Food Research Institute, said: "That is very significant. It leads to the idea that CLA could be useful in weight management.

"Our results showed that CLA made it easier for people to stay on their diets."

Similar results were achieved in the Norwegian study.

Weight loss

However, in a CLA study in another Norwegian centre, the supplement was shown to help people take the pounds off in the first place.

The 60 overweight people who took part in the study were not allowed to diet, yet those who took CLA still lost weight, an average of two or three pounds in a 160 pound person.

The research team said that while they could not be certain that the weight loss was due to the supplement, there was strong evidence that it was.

The proportion of fat to muscle is of great significance to those people suffering from Type II diabetes.

Anything which could improve this ratio could potentially help them control the condition far more easily.

Obese people are at far greater risk of developing this form of diabetes.

Having type II diabetes increases the potential for the patient to suffer from high blood pressure and heart disease.