Nutrient Supports Weight Management

By VRP Staff

In a recent study, investigators evaluated the effect of supplementation with two linoleic acid-rich dietary oils in women with type 2 diabetes. In the United States, 23.6 million people, or 8 percent of the population, have diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and is caused by insufficient production or inability to utilize insulin.

In this new study, researchers administered conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) or safflower oil to postmenopausal, obese women with type 2 diabetes. The women were evaluated for changes in weight and body composition. Weight management is important in patients with type 2 diabetes as previous research indicates that a 5-10 percent reduction in body weight plus 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity reduces diabetes by 58 percent.

In this study, the women were supplemented with either 8 grams per day of CLA or safflower oil for 16 weeks, followed by 4 weeks without supplementation, and then were given the opposite oil for an additional 16 weeks. The women were evaluated monthly for changes in body weight and composition, dietary intake, and blood tests related to diabetes.

The results showed that CLA supplementation for 16 weeks reduced body mass index (BMI), a calculation based on height and weight that is used to categorize healthy or unhealthy body weight. CLA also reduced total adipose mass without affecting lean tissue mass. Overall, CLA reduced the BMI by approximately half a point, total body fat by 3.2 percent, and fat tissue weight by 1.4 kg.

Sixteen weeks of safflower oil intake did not affect the BMI or total adipose mass. However, safflower oil supplementation decreased trunk adipose mass by approximately 6 percent and increased lean tissue mass, as well as induced a significant decrease in fasting blood sugar levels. Safflower oil also increased adiponectin levels, which is a hormone secreted from fat cells important in glucose regulation and the breakdown of fatty acids and is generally lower in diabetics and overweight patients.

The study authors concluded, “Supplementation with CLA and safflower oil exerted different effects on BMI, total and trunk adipose mass, and lean tissue mass in obese postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes. Supplementation with these dietary oils may be beneficial for weight loss, glycemic control or both.”

Reference:

Norris LE, Collene AL, Asp ML, Hsu JC, Liu LF, Richardson JR, Li D, Bell D, Osei K, Jackson RD, Belury MA. Comparison of dietary conjugated linoleic acid with safflower oil on body composition in obese postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jun 17. Published Online Ahead of Print.