CLA burns belly fat and reduces weight in olderdiabetic women

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) made from safflower oil (Tonalin) may help reduce body fat mass in post-menopausal women with type 2 diabetes, says a new study. 35 obese-menopausal diabetics received either safflower oil or 6.4 grams of Tonalin CLA derived from safflower oil for 16 weeks, followed by a four-week washout period, and then a cross-over to the next 16-week supplementation period began. Following the first 16 weeks of supplementation, CLA was found to improve body mass index (BMI) and total body fat dropped by 3.2 per cent, and fat tissue weight by over 3 pounds. “In the present study, we observed a significant reduction of BMI with 6.4 g CLA supplementation per day,” wrote the researchers, led by Professor Martha Belury from Ohio State University. “Because BMI had not yet reached a plateau, it is possible that further reductions in BMI are achievable with a longer length of supplementation. The reduced BMI found in our study supports other studies, which have shown weight loss by CLA.” The new study is published on-line ahead of print in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition