If you need a healthy reason to cut into a slab of beef, look no further than alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). These two fatty-acid-based compounds are found in animal meat and show great benefit for health. ALA acts as a potent antioxidant throughout your body and may improve how your body handles nutrients. CLA has been shown to reduce cholesterol and body fat without the need for diet or exercise.
About Alpha Lipoic Acid
Your body naturally produces ALA on its own; Significant levels are found only in meat and yeast. Unlike other natural antioxidants, like vitamins C and E, ALA prevents oxidative damage in both watery and fatty body compartments. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), ALA may help regenerate the effectiveness of other antioxidants, especially the powerful antioxidant glutathione. ALA may also enhance the action of insulin, a hormone that draws nutrients into your cells.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid Benefits
Diabetes, especially adult-onset or type 2 diabetes, impairs your circulation, leading to free radicals that cause pain, burning and itching due to neuropathy, or damage to the nerves. According to the UMMC, ALA can reduce symptoms of diabetic neuropathy and improve blood sugar management. Take 600 to 800 mg of ALA per day, preferably time-release, for these effects. Research is actively investigating other uses of ALA, including its effects on liver disease and brain function.
About Conjugated Linoleic Acid
CLA is produced by bacteria in the gut of ruminants, such as cows and sheep. CLA is composed of a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids that, like all other fatty acids, are integrated into the fatty membrane surrounding cells. By replacing other fatty acids in cellular membranes, CLA alters the balance of some biochemical reactions. In particular, CLA reduces the production of inflammatory molecules called prostaglandins and may even lower the number of fat cells in your body, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC).
Conjugated Linoleic Acid Benefits
A study cited by the MSKCC demonstrated that 3.4 g of CLA per day lowered both good and bad cholesterol levels in those at high risk for cardiovascular disease. In a study of overweight but otherwise healthy adults, CLA supplementation for 12 weeks decreased body fat mass without alterations in diet or exercise. The effects were modest but statistically significant, and body weight was not significantly reduced. CLA may aid in weight loss but is not a substitute for proper diet or regular exercise.
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