If, like millions of Americans, you think that the road to healthy eating is paved with all things “lite” and low fat, think again. Scientists are discovering that Mother Nature’s best medicine just may be red meat and dairy. Studies indicate that our well-intentioned efforts to reduce the amount of fat in our diets may also be reducing a primary source of conjugated linoleic acid – a potent, cancer-fighting essential fatty acid and a nutrient presently being researched for its potential to promote metabolic function and decrease body fat. And that’s not all. Scientists are finding that fighting cancer and obesity is just the beginning of what this hot, new gem on the health and wellness scene can do.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) first came to public attention in 1988, when a University of Wisconsin researcher discovered its cancer-fighting properties in a study of rats fed fried hamburger. Today, scientists are finding that even low concentrations of CLA are more strongly anti-carcinogenic than other fatty acids — particularly in inhibiting breast and prostate tumors, as well as colorectal, stomach and skin cancer, including melanoma.

Increasing your body’s level of CLA has also been shown to decrease fat and enhance muscle growth. Compelling evidence, including the studies below, indicates that CLA can promote increased metabolic function and reduce body fat.

* A recent study at the Louisiana State University confirmed that feeding male mice a CLA-enriched diet for six weeks resulted in 43 percent to 88 percent lower body fat, especially in the abdominal area.

* A study performed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison concluded that mice supplemented with only .5 percent of CLA showed up to 60 percent lower body fat and up to 14 percent increased lean body mass compared to controls.

* A pioneering Norwegian human study found that participants who added CLA supplements to their diet lost up to 20 percent of their body fat in three months without changing their diet, while the control subjects on the average gained a slight amount of body fat during the same period.

But the myriad health benefits of CLA don’t stop there. Initial studies show that CLA may also lower cholesterol, strengthen the immune system and enhance insulin sensitivity — a significant breakthrough in the overall treatment of Type II diabetes.

Emphasis towards eliminating red meat and dairy from the American diet means that CLA may not be readily available to those focused solely on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low fat proteins. CLA is a fat and is found in whole-fat milk, butter, cheese and high-fat red meat such as beef and lamb — most specifically those products from grassfed ruminants, the richest known source of CLA. Because of lactose intolerance or any number of dietary concerns, some may prefer to ingest CLA in a supplement form. A dosage of 3g a day has been used in most of the studies, but even 1,000 mg a day is considered to be effective for most people. CLA is especially effective when combined with Chromium Picolinate.


REFERENCES
1. “Induction of Apoptosis by Conjugated Linoleic Acid in Cultured Mammary Tumor Cells and Premalignant Lesions of the Rat Mammary Gland" by Clement Ip, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention in July 2000.