Can you give me more research on how CLA can produce the health benefits listed above?

Sure. Here is some information on each health benefit:

Decrease the risk of break cancer

In a French study done by Lavillonniere et.al. in 2003 they compared breast adipose tissue from women with breast cancer and a control group. The control group's higher level of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) suggested CLA's protective effect against breast cancer.¹

Another study published in Nutr. Cancer showed the inverse association between dietary and serum conjugated linoleic acid and risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.²

Increase metabolic rate

Numerous animal and human studies have shown that CLA can help increase metabolic rate and allow you to burn more fat.^{3, 4}

Decrease Body Fat and Increase Muscle Growth

There is so much interest in CLA and its role in decreasing body fat that we have created a whole article on how does CLA burn fat?

While there are numerous studies on CLA and body fat reduction, the most significant human studies showed a 9% reduction in body fat and 2% increase in lean body mass - all with no change in diet or exercise.⁵ Another study showed "Supplementation with CLA during strength training increases lean tissue mass and decreases fat mass."⁶

Lowers cholesterol and triglycerides

In an animal study, after only 12 weeks, the LDL and total cholesterol and triglyceride counts were markedly lower in the blood of the animals fed CLA.⁷

Lower insulin resistance

Studies have shown that CLA could possibly be able to affect and treat some types of diabetes. According to Dr. Martha Belury at Purdue University and Dr. John Vandel Heuvel at Penn State University, CLA normalizes impaired glucose tolerance in non insulin-dependent diabetes. In earlier experiments by Houseknecht et. al., it was observed that CLA and troglitazone reversed the symptoms of diabetes in a specific diabetic animal model. Effects included decreased triglycerides, insulin and leptin, and improved glucose utilization. Belury and Vanden Heuvel conclude that CLA may represent an important agent for the treatment of Type II diabetes.^{8, 9}

Because CLA isomers share many of the attributes of the clinical thiazolidinedione drug, troglitazone, without exhibiting as many side effects, CLA may represent a new insulin-sensitizing agent for treatment of Type II diabetes.

Enhance the immune system

In 1991, evidence obtained through the collaborative efforts of Dr. Mark Cook and Dr. Michael Pariza at the University of Wisconsin revealed the immune boosting potential of CLA. Feeding CLA to chicks provided partial protection against the catabolic effects of exposure to endotoxin. This research expanded to include rodents and supported the fact that CLA-fed animals exhibit enhanced immune functions.¹⁰

CLA is the only known nutrient that enhances the immune system and protects against the harmful "cellular backlash" that occurs when the immune system is stimulated.

As published in separate issues of Cancer Research, CLA has been shown to be an effective antioxidant in vitro according to Dr. Yeong Ha and in vivo according to Dr. Clement Ip. Because numerous studies indicate that oxidative reactions are associated with the development of cancer and atherosclerosis, CLA's ability to reduce the harmful effects of these oxidative reactions could be its most important health benefit.^{11, 12}

In addition, research suggests that CLA may ease the inflammation that occurs when the immune system is challenged.

How long will it take before I see the above benefits?