Natural CLA May Stimulate Muscle Growth, Reduce Fat, Control Cholesterol

Yes, CLA may stimulate muscle growth and that’s only the beginning of the natural benefits.

CLA has been the subject of a variety of research in the past several years, and findings also suggest that some of the other benefits of CLA include the following:

• May increase metabolic rate -- This would obviously be a positive benefit for promoting normal thyroid function.
• May help decrease abdominal fat.
• May enhance muscle growth -- Muscle burns fat, which also contributes to increased metabolism, which is useful in weight loss and management.
• Helps maintain normal cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
• Helps maintain normal insulin levels.
• Helps make it easier to control weight.
• Enhances immune system -- Enhancing the immune system's ability to function properly is a positive benefit.

Grassfed Milk May Be The Best Medicine Yet!

The reason? A compound called conjugated linoelic acid (CLA). CLA is a fatty acid found in beef and dairy fats. Scientific interest in CLA was stimulated in 1988 when a University of Wisconsin researcher discovered its antioxidant properties in a study of rats fed fried hamburger. CLA cannot be produced by the human body, but it can be obtained through foods such as whole milk, butter, beef, and lamb.

“Dairy cattle that graze produce higher amounts of CLA in their milk than those which receive conserved feed, such as grain, hay, and silage," says Agricultural Research dairy scientist Larry Satter.. Satter, who is based at the Dairy Forage Research Center in Madison, Wisconsin, conducted a study comparing the amount of CLA in milk from cows grazing on pasture to the amount from cows fed hay or silage. Satter’s research uncovered an amazing fact.Pasture-grazed cows had 500% more CLA in their milk than those fed silage. Larry Satter may be contacted at the USDA-ARS U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, 1950 Linden Lane, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706; phone (608) 264-5353, fax (608) 264-5147.

The Amazing Health Benefits of CLA

CLA reduces body fat in people who are overweight.The Journal of Nutrition in the December 2000 issue published an article based on a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study that found that CLA reduces fat and preserves muscle tissue. According to the research project manager, an average reduction of six pounds of body fat was found in the group that took CLA, compared to a placebo group. The study found that a mere 3.4 grams of CLA per day is the level needed to obtain the beneficial effects of CLA on body fat. Conjugated linoelic acid is unique because it is present in food from animal sources, and its antioxidant efficacy is expressed at concentrations close to human consumption levels. In animal studies, as little as one half of one percent CLA in the diet showed promising health benefits. Other research has shown that as little as 1/10 of 1% of CLA in the diet may have significant health benefits.

For the technical minded, conjugated linoelic acid (CLA) is a mixture of positional and geometric isomers of linoelic acid, which is found preferentially in dairy products and meat. Preliminary studies indicate that CLA is a powerful antioxidant with an effective range of only 0.1-1% in the diet.

CLA in grassfed milk produces muscle growth naturally with no side effects. CLA can also be manufactured synthetically, but synthetic CLA is known to produce detrimental side effects.

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