Spring 2002 Issue — Weight Management with Conjugated Linoleic Acids

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A cycle of gains and losses

All around the would, an increasing number of people are overweight. And this is despite efforts by health officials to encourage a sensible diet and sufficient exercise. While there is no single "magic cure" for excess weight, Clarinol™ may be the way to give weight control back to dieters and to protect the efforts of people determined to lose unhealthy pounds for good.

The statistics¹ and implications² of overweight are sobering enough to encourage action on a worldwide scale. At any given time, almost one out of three United Kingdom resident is trying to lose weight.³ In the United States, one in five men and one in three women are on some type of diet.

Additional behaviour studies show that nearly one in three consumers are actively attempting to maintain current weight.⁴ And the incentive to control overweight is heightened by the existence of clinical studies demonstrating that even modest amounts of weight loss (5-10 per cent of body weight) can result in significant improvement in health problems such as type II diabetes.⁵

Eager for results, people attempt to modify and control weight by using more than one method. On average, dieters try one approach or another for about six months over a period of several years. A Weight Watchers study indicates that most dieters have used three different diets within the last three years.⁶

Unfortunately, many consumers who have tried to lose weight by restricting calories, particularly with crash diets, find themselves trapped in the frustrating yo-yo effect. No sooner do they shed pounds than the weight creeps back on, leaving them just as overweight as they were and even more frustrated. Clearly, successful nutritional approaches other than simple calorie restriction are needed to stop this self-defeating cycle.

Natural weight management

Giving consumers control of their weight balance is why Loders Croklaan Lipid Nutrition has developed Clarinol™, a range of nutritional lipid products containing the highest concentrations of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is present in the body - its level is critically diet-dependant with meat, dairy products and vegetable oils being the principal CLA sources.⁷

Animal and human studies suggest that CLA is critical to weight management efforts. Research to date shows that this effect most likely results from two specific CLA isomers - c9,t11 and t10,c12.8.

Although CLA is a natural component of the human diet, it occurs at concentrations far too small to deliver weight-controlling benefits. In the US, for example, with the trend towards a diet low in fats and increased use of low fat or non-fat milk and other dairy products, the average daily CLA intake is estimated to be 160 to 430 mgs per day. Beneficial effects, however, have been demonstrated only at dosages of 0.7 g and higher per day. Achieving this level requires the supplementation Clarinol™ can safely provide.

How Clarinol™ works

A number of studies in animals and humans indicate that CLA supplementation decreases body fat and increases lean body mass. The increase in lean body mass is most pronounced in individuals who are exercising regularly, which make it an ideal aid for maintaining desirable weight after extra pounds have been lost. CLA can be an important part of stopping the weight yo-yo effect once and for all.

The impact of CLA on fat metabolism comes from its effect on the interplay between fat storage cells (adipocytes) with skeletal muscle, the principal site where fat is burned to meet the body's energy needs. CLA appears to reduce the adipocytes' ability to take up fats from the bloodstream. At the same time, CLA enhances the breakdown of fat molecules in the mitochondria of skeletal muscle cells, and it may mitigate the breakdown of muscle tissue to provide energy. Thus, storage of fat is decreased and fat is burned at a higher rate, while muscle is both fuelled and preserved, leading to a reduction in fat and an increase in lean body mass.

CLA triglycerides

Loders Croklaan Lipid Nutrition is the first in the industry to present a unique CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) product Clarinol™ Triglyceride, to add value to dietary supplements and functional foods. As well as its important role in body weight maintenance, Clarinol™ Triglyceride offers organoleptic qualities and ensures consumer appeal through improved visual appearance and mouthfeel.

Processed from natural safflower oil, this special form of CLA does not impart off-flavours, colours or texture. Because of the glyceride form, it does not have some of the digestion issues that may be experienced with other forms of CLA, such as free fatty acids.

Clarinol™ Triglyceride has some unique propositions. It is being produced in circumstances that are gentle, thus resulting in very little unwanted side products. Moreover, the process of production delivers the highest concentration available in the market. Clarinol™ Triglyceride is a pure mixture of c9t11 and t10,c12 isomer - the active components for achieving body weight control, in a 50:50 ratio. Thus one can attain the highest biological effect. This high concentration of active isomers also implicates that Clarinol™ is low in other isomers, resulting in an effective and pure product.

Clarinol™ powder

Clarinol™ Powder is a dispersible powder containing micro-encapsulated oil. The ingredient, marketed under the name Clarinol™ Powder, contains a high concentration of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in triglyceride form. Clarinol™ Powder is ideally suited to delicate and highly sensitive flavour formulations.

The powder is also heat stable, making it suitable for use in a range of food and beverages applications. This nutritional powder is worth a closer look. The concept could hardly be simpler and the rewards could hardly be greater.

Application Profile: Raspberry Marshmallow Nutrition Bar

An example of a nutritious, delicious application featuring Clarinol™ Powder is a raspberry marshmallow nutrition bar. The concentration of CLA in Clarinol™ Powder enables the bar to deliver a beneficial daily dose of two grams of CLA, including the most active isomers. Developed to appeal to health eaters as well as the weight conscious, the bar also provides seven grams of protein, six grams of fat, 32 grams of carbohydrate, and 50% DV for Vitamins A, C, E, and 30% DV for folic acid. And at only 195 calories, the can be a helpful addition to any consumer's diet.

The application is a three-layer bar consisting of a standard marshmallow base enhanced with Clarinol™ Powder. Within the marshmallow, a natural raspberry emulsion is used for true berry flavour. High protein soy crisps are layered on top to add texture and the nutritional benefits of soy. Finally, the base is enrobed with a specially-formulated dark chocolate coating to boost nutrition as well as taste. This example points out the ease with which Clarinol™ Powder can be used in delicate food applications:

Nutrition Facts - serving size 1 full-size bar (58 grams)
Calories 195		Calories from fat 54
		% Daily Value
Total Fat 6g Saturated Fat 2g		9% 10%
Cholesterol 0g		0%
Sodium 100mg		13%
Total Carbohydrate 33g Dietary Fiber <1g Sugar 22g		11% 1%
Protein 7g		14%
Vitamins and Minerals (% Daily Value)
Vitamin A	50%	Calcium	20%
Vitamin C	50%	Chromium	20%
Vitamin D	20%	Copper	20%
Vitamin E	50%	Iodine	20%
Vitamin B1	20%	Iron	20%
Vitamin B12	20%	Magnesium	20%
Vitamin B2	20%	Manganese	20%
Vitamin B6	20%	Molybdenum	20%
Vitamin K1	20%	Phosphorous	20%
Biotin	20%	Potassium	20%
Folic Acid	30%	Selenium	20%
Pantothenic-Acid	20%	Zinc	20%
Conjugated Linoleic Acid - 2g (While there is no established DV or recommended level for CLA, beneficial effects have been obtained with 2 grams daily).
Note: Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 kilocalorie diet.

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