Dutch firm Loders Croklaan Lipid Nutrition says a study on its Clarinol conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) found that it improves weight reduction and decreases the negative effects normally seen in people on low-calorie diets.
In a double-blind, placebo controlled study, conducted at the University of Wisconsin Beers-Murphy Clinical Nutrition Center, study subjects who received 6 grams of Clarinol CLA or a placebo a day lost a significant amount of body fat during a 12 week period on a very low-calorie diet. The group taking Clarinol CLA had a significant decrease in adverse effects typically associated with low calorie diets compared with those in the control group, reported Loders Croklaan.
"Dieting is challenging for most people. Particularly as it may take more time than anticipated and expectations of many diets are unrealistic, plus low calorie diets can negatively affect people both psychologically and physically," said Katinka Abbenbroek, marketing director at Loders Croklaan Lipid Nutrition. "This study demonstrates that Clarinol CLA helps people feel better while they lose weight."
The study involved 60 obese men and women, who were randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group, and were on a low-calorie diet. At the conclusion of the 28-week trial (consisting of a 12-week weight loss period and 16 week weight regain period), the Clarinol CLA group lost more weight overall and regained more lean body mass, the company reported. Also, females in the Clarinol CLA group lost more total weight and more fat weight.
Presenting the research both at Vitafoods in Geneva this month and the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) meeting in April, Loders added that those in the Clarinol CLA group reported significantly fewer occurrences of the adverse side effects typically associated with dieting, such as skin rash, irritability, anger, depression and hair loss. The weight loss process, overall, was more pleasant and easier to sustain for the Clarinol CLA group.
Safety analyses including metabolic variables, liver and renal function did not differ, thus Clarinol CLA was found to be safe, the researchers concluded. Publication of the results in a peer-reviewed journal is pending.
Loders has also this month introduced Safflorin, an isomerized safflower oil product that has been shown in clinical studies to have significant beneficial effects on the human immune system.
The company presented research at Vitafoods from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, conducted at the Rowett Institute in Scotland. Safflorin was shown to bolster the immune system by increasing protective antibodies, while also modifying the allergic/inflammatory response in humans. The CLA product stimulates the development of a healthy immune system by promoting the production of protective antibodies. It also reduces the production of a specific, non-protective antibody that is present in greater amounts in people with allergies, according to the firm.
"Safflorin is a breakthrough product for us and for the industry," said Dr Inge Mohede, company nutrition manager for Loders Croklaan.