Supplement sheds fat

A new study concludes that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduces body fat mass in overweight adults. One year of CLA supplementation diminished the amount of body fat by as much as 9 percent--without an increase in exercise or a decrease in calories.

How can that be, you ask? Scientists suspect CLA lowers the amount of fat normally stored after meals, helping the body to break down and use fat.

Traditionally, people received CLA from eating pasture-grazed beef and dairy fat. But cattle are no longer allowed to graze, and most people now eat less red meat and dairy, so CLA supplements offer a way to increase your intake.

The June 2004 edition of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the details.

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