CLA: Weight-Loss Super-Supplement or a Risk to Your Health?
By Jon Herring
About a year and a half ago, I set out to improve my level of fitness and shed body fat. In addition to closely following the same nutritional and exercise advice we regularly provide in the pages of ETR, I started taking a few supplements that I thought would help. One of these was conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA.
CLA is a fatty acid, found primarily in grass-fed ruminants. It is one of the most beneficial nutrients in grass-fed beef and dairy. In ETR# 1501, I wrote about its range of health benefits, including strong anti-cancer protection. CLA has also been shown to reduce body fat, especially when combined with exercise.
I was eating plenty of grass-fed beef, but to be sure that I was getting enough CLA to make a difference, I also took a supplement.
While my experience with CLA was anything but a reliable clinical trial, it certainly seemed to work for me. After about eight weeks of taking the supplement and exercising routinely, I became about as lean as I have ever been.
My only concern was that the CLA that comes in supplement form is not natural. It is derived by processing safflower oil and, sometimes, soybean oil. I began to hear that this type of CLA could cause negative side effects, so I stopped taking it. A recent article in The New York Times touched on this, mentioning studies which have shown that CLA "can increase blood levels of C-reactive protein, lipoprotein, and leptin - all of which can heighten the risk of heart disease."
Based on my personal experience and the results of numerous studies, it appears that supplementing with CLA can increase fat loss. But it also seems to be connected with unwanted risks. So if you want the many benefits of this nutrient, I suggest that you get it in its natural form by consuming grass-fed beef and dairy and skipping the supplement.
[Ed. Note: We know that many doctors, nutritionists, and health professionals read Early to Rise. What do you think of supplementing with CLA? Are you aware of any negative consequences? Do you believe it's risky? And for those of you who have tried CLA, what has been your experience?]
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It's Fun to Know: Names and Faces
What does someone named Bob look like? Based on the results of a recent study, psychologists at Miami University have discovered that certain names are associated in people's minds with certain facial features. A Tim or Andy, for example, is usually pictured as thinner than a Bob. The researchers also found that when a person's name does not "match" with their features, people will have a hard time remembering the name.
(Source: Science Daily)
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Word to the Wise: Refractory
"Refractory" (rih-FRAK-tuh-ree) - from the Latin for "to oppose" - means stubbornly disobedient or unmanageable.
Example (as used by George Bain in Time): "It's a head shot of Lucien Bouchard peering out of the dark, openmouthed, teeth showing, eyes glittering and appearing not to have shaved in a week. In another age, the shot might have been held up to a refractory kid with the warning, 'The boogeyman will get you if you don't watch out.'"
Michael Masterson
__________________________________________________
These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2086, 07-05-07], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.
About a year and a half ago, I set out to improve my level of fitness and shed body fat. In addition to closely following the same nutritional and exercise advice we regularly provide in the pages of ETR, I started taking a few supplements that I thought would help. One of these was conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA.
CLA is a fatty acid, found primarily in grass-fed ruminants. It is one of the most beneficial nutrients in grass-fed beef and dairy. In ETR# 1501, I wrote about its range of health benefits, including strong anti-cancer protection. CLA has also been shown to reduce body fat, especially when combined with exercise.
I was eating plenty of grass-fed beef, but to be sure that I was getting enough CLA to make a difference, I also took a supplement.
While my experience with CLA was anything but a reliable clinical trial, it certainly seemed to work for me. After about eight weeks of taking the supplement and exercising routinely, I became about as lean as I have ever been.
My only concern was that the CLA that comes in supplement form is not natural. It is derived by processing safflower oil and, sometimes, soybean oil. I began to hear that this type of CLA could cause negative side effects, so I stopped taking it. A recent article in The New York Times touched on this, mentioning studies which have shown that CLA "can increase blood levels of C-reactive protein, lipoprotein, and leptin - all of which can heighten the risk of heart disease."
Based on my personal experience and the results of numerous studies, it appears that supplementing with CLA can increase fat loss. But it also seems to be connected with unwanted risks. So if you want the many benefits of this nutrient, I suggest that you get it in its natural form by consuming grass-fed beef and dairy and skipping the supplement.
[Ed. Note: We know that many doctors, nutritionists, and health professionals read Early to Rise. What do you think of supplementing with CLA? Are you aware of any negative consequences? Do you believe it's risky? And for those of you who have tried CLA, what has been your experience?]
______________________________
It's Fun to Know: Names and Faces
What does someone named Bob look like? Based on the results of a recent study, psychologists at Miami University have discovered that certain names are associated in people's minds with certain facial features. A Tim or Andy, for example, is usually pictured as thinner than a Bob. The researchers also found that when a person's name does not "match" with their features, people will have a hard time remembering the name.
(Source: Science Daily)
______________________________
Word to the Wise: Refractory
"Refractory" (rih-FRAK-tuh-ree) - from the Latin for "to oppose" - means stubbornly disobedient or unmanageable.
Example (as used by George Bain in Time): "It's a head shot of Lucien Bouchard peering out of the dark, openmouthed, teeth showing, eyes glittering and appearing not to have shaved in a week. In another age, the shot might have been held up to a refractory kid with the warning, 'The boogeyman will get you if you don't watch out.'"
Michael Masterson
__________________________________________________
These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2086, 07-05-07], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.
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