UK – New research from Southampton and Reading universities has shown that a naturally occurring fatty acid found in dairy and meat foods could help reduce cholesterol.

The research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, investigated the effects of natural conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) compared to a type of CLA found in supplements.

The test looked at the effects of the two different types of CLA on 49 healthy men, and found that the two had different effects on cholesterol levels.

The natural CLA found in dairy and meat products lowered cholesterol by 6%, and LDL cholesterol by 10%. However, the type of CLA commonly found in supplements had no effect on cholesterol levels.