Effects of Conjugated Linoleic Acid on Body Composition and Selected Biochemical Parameters in Obese Women

Abstract

This study was performed to investigate the effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on body composition and selected biochemical parameters in obese women. Twenty women, aged between 22 and 48 years, with body mass index (BMI, kg/m²) over 25 received 1.8 g CLA/day for 8 weeks. Basal metabolic rate (BMR), anthropometric and selected biochemical parameters as well as serum insulin, leptin and ghrelin were measured at baseline and 8 weeks. Significant decreases were found in body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumferences (p<0.05) while no effect of CLA was determined on BMR, waist/hip ratio, fat content and lean body mass (LBM). Significant decreases were found in serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC) (p<0.05), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and plasma leptin (p<0.01) levels. Serum glucose level decreased but remained within normal range while insulin levels of subjects increased (p<0.01). Slight but not significant increases were found in plasma ghrelin and serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. The results of this study have shown that supplementation of 1.8 g CLA/day for 8 weeks affect lipid and carbohydrate metabolisms and reduce body weight, waist and hip circumferences which are the indicators of abdominal obesity that is a risk factor for coronary heart disease.