NOW CLA is a formula designed for the fitness enthusiast as well as for a person just looking to shed that excess fat. For both tof them, the answer doesn't necesarilly lie in losing weight - but rather in getting rid of excess fat. NOW CLA does this by utilising CLA, a fairly new compound in the fitness world, but one that has earned a respected status among many.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), is a naturally occurring free fatty acid found mainly in meat and dairy products, in small amounts.
Not only has CLA in NOW CLA been shown to increase muscle mass while reducing body fat, studies have also shown remarkable anti-catabolic, antioxidant, immune enhancement, and anti-cancer benefits. Several other studies have even revealed dramatic cholesterol reducing effects.
Take 2 NOW CLA sofgels 1-2 times daily, preferably 1 hour before meals.
Although all the intricacies of CLA are not fully understood, it is widely accepted in the research community that CLA counterbalances the negative effects of linoleic acid and regulates fat and protein metabolism in animals. Pariza, director of the Food Research Institute at the University of Wisconsin said, "A growing body of data indicates that CLA is a newly recognized nutrient that functions to regulate energy retention and metabolism." CLA can best be described as a Growth Factor.
CLA has been shown in animal studies to increase growth rate through increased feed efficiency. In controlled studies, animals that had their diets supplemented with CLA increased their body protein (muscle tissue) while at the same time, had a significant decrease in body fat. This all occurred in the CLA supplemented animals while their food intake was decreased. Their lean mass increased even though they were eating less! This indicates that CLA increases feed efficiency and also points to a potent nutrient repartitioning effect.
This significant change in body composition can also be attributed in part to CLA's effect on immune function. When CLA levels fall, interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-a are involved in the accumulation of body fat. CLA has been shown to inhibit the lean tissue wasting caused by high levels of these cytokines.