The Loders Croklaan CLA product Clarinol has been shown to significantly reduce body fat in women, said the company this week.
In a recent controlled study of the conjugated linoleic acid, the most comprehensive to date, scientists found that with a daily dose of 2.4g of CLA (active isomers), body fat in women who have not changed eating habits or lifestyle, is significantly lowered.
According to Loders Croklaan, the study, soon to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, shows that Clarinol works without a calorie-restricted diet and additional exercise.
Researchers at the UMC/MRC Research Unit for Exercise and Sports Medicine of the University of Capetown in South Africa studied the effect of CLA on 64 physically active, normal weight men and women aged between 21 to 45 in a double-blind placebo-controlled test.
Half of the individuals were given 3.9g of Clarinol containing 2.4g of CLA isomers, while the other half were given 3.9g of high oleic acid sunflower oil, both for a period of 12 weeks. Parameters measured included cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition (skinfolds and x-ray absorptiometry), CT-scans to measure fat distribution, metabolic rate at rest and during exercise, oral glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and blood lipid profiles.
Sixty-two subjects completed the trial. After the 12-week trial period CLA administration was associated with a statistically significant loss of fat mass in women. In addition mean plasma insulin concentrations were statistically significantly lower. Researchers reported that the results suggest that CLA is associated with an improved insulin sensitivity.
They concluded that CLA shows a gender-specific lowering of body fat levels in women and an improved sensitivity for insulin. The company added that the same study also confirmed the safety of Clarinol.
Loders Croklaan Lipid Nutrition performed the study in collaboration with the University of Cape Town, South Africa and a number of commercial partners.