Researchers continue to probe if conjugated linoleic acid supplements (CLA) affect weight loss.
A new study shows that obese or overweight people who took cla supplements every day lost about 3 kilos extras than those who took a daily pill containing only olive oil, which does not include Cla (placebo) .
. This study, presented in Los Angeles, at Digestive Den Week 2006, was funded by lipid nutrition, a company that makes CLA weight loss products. Sandra Einherhand, PhD, was the main researcher. Another recent study came to a different conclusion. In March, the researchers reported in the American clinical nutrition newspaper that obese people who took CLA supplements for a year did not lose more weight than those who made a placebo.Weight Loss Symptom Of - CLA Weight Loss Debate Continues
BMI of participants (body mass index) ranged from 28 to 32. The BMI refers to weight to height. BMI of 30 or more is considered obese; BMI from 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, but not obese.
einherhand and colleagues randomly assigned participants take CLA or placebo capsules daily for six months. Participants did not know if they arrived at CLA or placebo.
Three months for the study, the cla group had lost an extra 1.5 pounds of body fat, compared to the placebo group, shows the study.
At the end of the study, the CLA group lost 5.6% more body fat mass than those who take placebo. The CLA group also lost about 3.3 pounds more than the placebo group.

"This study shows that CLA supplementation for six months in overweight adults and healthy obese affected body mass in specific body regions and was well tolerated," writing Einherhand and colleagues in the summary of his study.
"All effects were independent of diet and exercise," said Einherhand told reporters, adding that the size of the waist and the proportion of hip waist also fell in the group CLA (waist size fell about 1,2 inches).
As for BMI, "individuals with the highest BMI responded better to CLA," researchers write.
The study by Einherhand and the other study published in the March edition of the American newspaper of Clinical Nutrition used the same dose of CLA. Studies had similar numbers of participants. The study in the American newspaper of clinical nutrition included only moderately obese people and lasted one year, double the study of Einherhand. The study in the American newspaper of Clinical Nutrition was funded by another company that causes CLA products, Cognis Corporation.