by ROSALIND RYAN, femail.co.uk
As the bikini panic starts to set in, many of us may be feeling desperate that the gym sessions and low fat lunches aren't having the desired effect.
We've all heard the warnings about quick-fix diet pills. But a new breed of weight loss tablets - known as slimming supplements - is now emerging to tempt us.
Derived from a variety of vitamins and minerals, such as kelp from seaweed or fatty acids from animal proteins, these supplements have a better image than traditional diet pills because they contain natural ingredients.
But do they work? A small number of studies are starting to show a positive effect for some supplements. However, many of these studies have only been carried out using animals so their effect on humans could be different. Experts are also divided over how safe these supplements are and the effects of taking too many.
CLA
What is it?
CLA stands for conjugated linoleic acid, a type of essential fatty acid found in animal fats. One reason that we may not be eating enough CLA is that we have cut back on these fatty foods to improve our diets. Luckily CLA is also found in milk so you can drink this as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
How does it work?
CLA may have an effect on body composition - reducing the amount of fat in the body and increasing the amount of lean muscle tissue. The theory is it works by reducing fat storage and boosting the breakdown of fat in the body.
Enthusiasts believe CLA works by speeding up the action of an enzyme which helps break down fat in the blood. At the same time it slows down another enzyme responsible for helping the fat cells absorb fat.
Has it been proven?
In one animal trial, piglets fed a diet containing CLA had less body fat and more lean muscle than the piglets kept on a normal diet.
In a Norwegian study on humans, one group of healthy volunteers were given a daily dose of CLA and another group were given a placebo - a pretend pill - and both groups were told not to diet. After 12 weeks there was no significant difference in weight loss between the two groups, but those taking the CLA had lost more body fat.
Professor Mike Pariza from the University of Wisconsin, a pioneer of CLA for weight loss, says that CLA can also reduce the ratio of fat to muscle when you put weight back on after dieting.
But in contrast, another American study found no effect on weight, fat stores or muscle in healthy women who took CLA every day for nine weeks compared to those on a dummy dose.
Lyndel Costain, consultant nutritionist for the Medical Research Council, says, 'Human studies with positive outcomes do not show weight loss, but rather a change in body composition. If the headlines about CLA's weight loss benefits are true, we'd all be queuing for a supply of this miracle fat buster, but there is not enough evidence in humans yet to recommend it as a slimming pill.'
Where can I get it? http://www.selecthealthy.com/cla-1000mg.html
