Q: Would you explain the effect of CLA on women? Does it cause you to lose weight, and can you take CLA if you are taking medication for high blood pressure?
– Sharon Wilkes
A: Quick fixes with supplements are a huge temptation for many and are an enormously profitable businesses for supplement companies. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is getting serious scientific scrutiny to see if it may be helpful.
CLA is found naturally in meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. Because most supplements derive their CLA from safflower oil, this supplement may sound relatively harmless. But some medical researchers believe that over time CLA may increase the risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. Because you are concerned with high blood pressure, talk to your physician first.
Limited and small studies (mainly on men) have indicated that CLA might help reduce body fat, but because of the small sample of subjects studied thus far, results are still inconclusive.
Also, safe and unsafe dosages have not been determined, and there may be risks if you are pregnant, breast-feeding, or are taking medicine to prevent blood clots.
But there are two larger issues: the problem with unsafe drug interaction between prescription drugs and over-the-
counter supplements, and the pie-in-the-sky claims by predatory weight-loss companies.
As for the reliability of advertised weight-loss supplements, the Federal Trade Commission has posted these red flags. Watch out if a product:
For the overwhelming majority of overweight adults, the answer is excruciatingly simple: Move more. Eat less.
Send questions to Body Language, The Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202 or e-mail Linda at LJBalance@aol.com.
