Cognis Nutrition and Health is launching a nationwide publicity campaign, in the form of a video news release, to directly promote its Tonalin CLA product to consumers.
The video is said to be based on a paper in the Journal of Nutrition in January 2003 which showed that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may help diabetics manage their blood sugar control and help prevent life-threatening complications. The supplement also proved effective in reducing fat, which also helps control diabetes.
"Cognis created this video news release to further educate health professionals and consumers about the compelling health benefits of CLA," said Kathleen Moran, global market segment manager of dietary supplements at Cognis.
Cognis says the new campaign will further support its customers as well as educate consumers at the retail level. Ingredient companies are increasingly looking to build brand recognition and raise product awareness among consumers to guarantee a competitive edge.
CLA is a polyunsaturated, conjugated fatty acid found primarily in meat and dairy products. The CLA content of natural dairy products has fallen over time however. Tonalin CLA is made through a proprietary process that converts linoleic acid from safflowers into CLA, which Cognis claims provides the highest activity available at 80 per cent.
"Measuring blood glucose levels is one way adults with Type 2 diabetes can monitor their disease, and this study indicates that CLA could be an important link in improving both their body weight and blood glucose levels," said Martha Belury, lead author of the study - the eighth article addressing CLA's advantages to be published in a peer-reviewed journal over the last two years - and associate professor of human nutrition at the Ohio State University.
In Dr Belury's study, fasting blood glucose levels decreased in 81 per cent of the subjects (9 of 11) taking CLA supplements, compared with only 20 per cent (2 of 10) of those taking placebos. The participants also lost an average of 3.5 pounds during the eight-week period.
The study comprised 21 adults with Type 2 diabetes. Eleven participants took 6.8 grams of Tonalin-brand CLA supplements daily compared to 10 adults who consumed placebos. Subjects enrolled in the study were not taking medication for glucose control, and were instructed to maintain a healthy diet and not to change their diet or activity during the eight-week study.
The researcher found that higher CLA levels in the blood were associated with lower levels of leptin, a hormone which produces a sense of satiety or feeling full which may ultimately affect appetite. Normal leptin levels may be adversely affected by obesity perhaps indicating why those adults have increased appetites and a slower metabolism. Higher CLA blood levels were also associated with body weight loss.
Additional human studies on health benefits and the body fat reduction aspects of CLA are underway including a study to examine CLA's safety and efficacy long term.
Full details of the study can be found in the January issue of the Journal of Nutrition 133:257S-260S, 2003.