You know about the growing reputation of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) as a potent cancer-fighter. CLA may be just as powerful in treating diabetes naturally, according to Penn State University researchers.
CLA's reputation for inhibiting certain cancers intrigued scientists because its actions mimicked the effect newer synthetic drugs had on treating diabetes in humans by triggering sets of nuclear receptors called PPARs whose purpose is to detect fatty acids and fatty acid metabolites within cells. When synthetic drugs interact with PPARs, they turn the receptors on and regulate gene expression, thus processing fatty acids and increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin.
CLA testing on mice with type 2 diabetes showed a similar improvement in insulin action and a drop in circulating glucose. Even better, the early results from human trials are just as positive, when consuming CLA for longer than eight weeks.
Although researchers have patented their discovery in hopes of creating a proprietary dietary supplement that may have an array of side effects just like all the other ones, tap into the healthiest, most natural sources of CLA by consuming grass-fed beef and full-fat dairy products that aren't pasteurized.
Science Daily August 4, 2006
Penn State Live August 2, 2006