Weight gain associated with aging is one of the most significant health problems in the Western world. And weight loss is one of its biggest challenges.

Obesity is an underlying risk factor for hypertension, adult-onset diabetes, heart disease, cancer and stroke, and is a major cause of the overall loss of energy experienced by so many people.

More Americans are overweight now than ever before. In the 1980s, Americans gained an average of 8 pounds each, yet consumption of diet drinks and low-fat foods was much higher than in the previous decade.

Recently, "lite" versions of almost every processed food on the market have been consumed by Americans obsessed with losing weight. Yet, despite diet manipulation, vigorous exercise and the use of diet drugs, the fat epidemic continues unabated. The media blame high fat consumption for America's overweight problem, but the facts are that previous generations often consumed higher percentages of dietary fat than many overweight people today. Could a widespread deficiency of a specific nutrient be a major factor in causing the excess body fat in many people? Let's take a look at one hypothesis.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a component of beef and milk that has been shown to reduce body fat in both animals and humans. CLA is essential for the transport of dietary fat into cells where it is used to build muscle and produce energy. Fat that is not used for anabolic energy production is converted into new stored fat cells. There are published research findings about how dietary CLA reduces body fat, but first let's take a look at why many Americans are now deficient in CLA compared with their parents.

The primary dietary sources of CLA are beef and milk, and Americans are eating less beef and drinking less whole milk in order to reduce their dietary intake of saturated fat. People often drink non-fat milk, but it's the fat content of the milk that contains CLA. Since skim milk contains virtually no CLA, those seeking to lose weight who use skim milk are depriving themselves of a potential source of this fat-reducing nutrient.

Now, here's where the real problem occurs. In 1963, the CLA percentage in milk was as high as 2.81 percent. By 1992, the percentage of CLA in dairy products seldom exceeded one percent. The reason for the sharp reduction in milk CLA was because of changing feeding patterns. Cows that eat natural grass produce lots of CLA. Today's "efficient" feeding methods rely far less on natural grass. For example, grass-fed Australian cows have three to four times as much CLA in their meat as do American cows.

So, health-conscious Americans are avoiding beef and whole milk because these foods are high in fat, and when people do consume beef or milk, they are consuming very little CLA because of CLA-deficiency in today's cows. Thus, most Americans have inadequate amounts of CLA in their diet, and this CLA deficit may be at least partially responsible for the epidemic of overweight people of all ages that now exists.

Encouraging Results with CLA

How significant is CLA in preventing excess accumulation of body fat? The results to date are preliminary, but extremely encouraging.

Athletes are taking CLA to push glucose into their muscle cells and connective tissues instead of letting it turn into fat. CLA has been shown to reduce protein degradation in both humans and animals.

CLA is required to maintain optimal function of the phospholipid membranes of cells. Healthy cell membranes will allow fat, protein and carbohydrates to flow into active cells such as muscle, connective tissue and organ cells, instead of being stored passively in fat cells. A deficiency of CLA can inhibit fat from entering muscle cells, which can result in excessive accumulation of body fat.

CLA has been studied in different species of animals, and the results consistently show that CLA reduces the percentage of body fat. An abstract from the 1996 Environmental Biology Conference showed that rats, after 28 days of being supplemented with CLA, showed a 58-percent reduction in body fat, compared with the control animals which did not receive CLA. In addition, the percentage of muscle was greater in the CLA group; CLA did not induce weight loss, since muscle weighs more than fat.

In July 1997, the results of the first human study on CLA were released by the Medstat Research Ltd. group of Lillesterom, Norway. This three-month preliminary study involved 20 healthy volunteers. Half the group was given six 500-mg CLA capsules a day, and the other half received identical-looking placebo capsules. The subjects were asked not to alter their diet or lifestyle; 18 of the 20 subjects completed the study protocol. The results showed that the people in the CLA group experienced a 15 to 20 percent reduction of average body fat, compared with the placebo group. In the CLA group, the initial body fat percentage was 21.3 percent at the beginning of the study, and only 17 percent body fat after three months on CLA capsules. In contrast, the placebo group started with an average of 22 percent body fat, and three months later recorded an average of 22.4 percent body fat.

CLA received widespread media attention in the early 1990s when it was identified as a component of red meat that helps prevent cancer. Further research showed that CLA is a potent anti-cancer agent, an anti-catabolic agent and, through a unique mechanism, a fat metabolizing agent. CLA is one of the substances the FDA is investigating for disease prevention. New studies are appearing about the ability of CLA to prevent cancer, and possibly function as an adjuvant (assisting) cancer therapy. CLA appears to be especially effective in preventing breast cancer.

Using CLA to reduce body fat may reduce your risk of getting cancer. Compare this to FDA-approved diet drugs that were removed from the market after being linked to heart-valve degeneration.

A deficiency of CLA in our diet may be a major factor in causing Americans to gain so many fat pounds. CLA is a potent antioxidant, but appears to prevent cancer via other mechanisms of action.

A dose of six 500-mg capsules of 70-percent CLA, taken in the morning on an empty stomach, may be an effective part of an overall weight-loss program. The studies indicate that it usually takes about three weeks before body-fat loss occurs in response to CLA supplementation.

CLA inhibits fat storage by enhancing the ability of cell membranes (other than fat cells) to open up and allow the absorption of fats and other nutrients. CLA promotes the growth of muscles by letting nutrients into active muscle cells. That's why CLA has become such a popular supplement among body builders. The fat-reducing mechanism of CLA involves the rejuvenation of cell membranes in the muscles and connective tissues to allow fats to enter freely in order to generate energy and growth. This anabolic effect could provide anti-aging benefits in the elderly, but there have been no studies to date to investigate this.

Chitosan: The Fat-Magnet

Let's turn our attention to another therapy that can induce, independent of CLA, weight loss-chitosan.

Chitosan is a fiber that binds to fat molecules in the gut to prevent dietary fat from being absorbed into the bloodstream. Fat in the blood readily converts into body fat. The best way of using chitosan is to take between 1,500 and 3,000 mg of chitosan immediately before a meal that contains fat. Drink at least 8 ounces of water with the chitosan. The chitosan capsules will burst open in your stomach within five minutes and be available to absorb dietary fat in your stomach and intestine before the fat can be absorbed into your bloodstream. The fat bound to the chitosan is then carried out of your body in the feces. Studies show that chitosan absorbs 44 percent more dietary fat on average than any other fiber tested.

Chitosan is now available in 500-mg capsules, thus making it much easier to consume the optimal amount of chitosan needed to bind to the dietary fat contained in a typical high-fat meal. Those seeking to lose weight should take three to six 500-mg chitosan capsules before each fatty meal. This dose also should help to reduce LDL cholesterol by binding to bile acids secreted by the liver into the intestine, and preventing their reabsorption into the bloodstream.

In addition, studies show that ascorbic acid (Vitamin-C) helps dissolve the chitosan that is in the stomach and intestine into a fat-absorbing gel. When ascorbic acid was given with chitosan to rats, far more fat was trapped and excreted in the feces than when chitosan was given without ascorbic acid. It is important to take pure ascorbic acid to enhance the fat absorbing effects of chitosan. Buffered ascorbate will not work.

The most significant human study using chitosan was published in the August-October 1994 issue of the journal ARM Medicina-Helsinki. In this study, 30 moderately obese patients were given chitosan, while members of a control group on the identical diet received a placebo. Within four weeks, the chitosan group lost an average of 15 pounds, while members of the control group lost only 5.5 pounds. This study confirmed the findings of a previous uncontrolled human study conducted in Norway.

Take three to six 500-mg chitosan capsules and one 1,000 mg ascorbic acid capsule right before a high-fat meal.

CAUTION: Do not take chitosan and CLA together. The chitosan will absorb the CLA and prevent it from getting into the bloodstream. Do not take Coenzyme Q10 rice bran oil capsules, Mega EPA, MEGA GLA or flax oil with chitosan, since these important oils also will become trapped in the chitosan and be unavailable for absorption. It is best to take your essential fatty acid oil supplements all together first thing in the morning if you are going to use chitosan throughout the day to absorb dietary fat.

The Role of Thyroid Deficiency

We tend to put on weight as we grow older in part because aging impairs our ability to metabolize carbohydrates. Since most food is eventually broken down into glucose (blood sugar), the age-related decline in our ability to metabolize glucose is a significant cause of degenerative disease and excessive weight gain associated with aging.

One cause of impaired carbohydrate metabolism is sub-clinical thyroid deficiency. Blood tests are not always reliable in diagnosing this condition. A study found that 18 percent of elderly people who were initially diagnosed as having normal thyroid levels were later found to have significant thyroid deficiency after undergoing extensive testing. Many physicians believe that most people over 40 suffer from a sub-clinical thyroid deficiency that contributes to their weight gain.

The thyroid gland secretes hormones involved in cellular energy expenditure. When you go on a diet, there is a decrease in thyroid-hormone secretion that causes your body's metabolic rate to slow down. This decrease occurs because your thyroid gland thinks you are starving and tries to conserve energy until you find more food to eat.

Everyone who has ever dieted knows about the rebound effect . . . how your body resists losing weight while you "starve yourself," but then puts the weight back on with devastating quickness after you eat a little more. This is why dieting is such a miserable way to try to lose weight. Now you know why-it's because your thyroid gland fights you all the way by reducing your energy efficiency in order to keep you from losing weight.

This biological mechanism involving the thyroid gland, which evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to counter the very real risk of starvation, is what sabotages you in today's world of plenty when you deliberately eat less in an attempt to lose weight.

To give you an idea how your thyroid gland dictates how much you weigh, consider the fact that, when the thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone, the most common clinical symptom is the significant loss of weight. The name for the disease caused by an overactive thyroid gland is hyperthyroidism, and in 76 to 83 percent of cases, the patient's first complaint to their doctor is about how much weight they've been losing!

On the other hand, clinical studies have consistently shown that dieting produces a decline in thyroid output, resulting in a severe reduction in resting energy expenditure. This reduced metabolic rate prevents cells from burning calories to produce energy. If the cells do not take up glucose to produce energy, the sugar is stored as fat within the body. The only way dieting can produce significant long-term weight loss is for the cells to take up glucose for conversion into energy rather than into body fat.

One way of boosting thyroid function in order to lose weight and fight fatigue is to take supplemental thyroid hormone. People who have serious thyroid hormone deficiency should take it under the care of a doctor, but for most people the adverse side effects of supplementation with thyroid hormone outweigh the benefits.

While there are studies showing that thyroid-supplementation promotes weight loss in some people, it also can kill you. Excessive thyroid hormone can cause rapid heart rate and atrial fibrillation-the abnormal, chaotic quivering of a heart chamber-that could lead to a heart attack or stroke. The problem is not thyroid deficiency per se, but that people become thyroid-deficient in response to dieting. In short, thyroid-hormones drugs don't always work and can be dangerous.

Later in this protocol, we're going to reveal a safe and effective, natural way of boosting your thyroid function without having to take thyroid hormone.

There are several reasons why thyroid hormone supplementation hasn't consistently produced weight loss in clinical studies:

1. Commercially available thyroid supplements may not provide all the thyroid hormones needed to restore optimal carbohydrate metabolism. When safe doses of thyroid supplements are given to dieters, their resting energy expenditure still does not approach their pre-diet level, even though measurable serum levels of thyroid hormone are up to 130-percent higher than pre-diet levels.

2. The thyroid supplements currently on the market have been tested only by themselves in clinical studies. When only one therapy is tested at a time without producing dramatic results, the therapy is considered useless. But thyroid deficiency is only one factor that works against successful weight loss in response to dieting.

3. Normal diets do not provide optimal levels of minerals; dieting can cause severe deficiencies of chromium and magnesium, for example. These deficiencies cause insulin-resistance, which is a major factor in carbohydrate metabolic disorders. Chromium and magnesium must be present if thyroid hormone is to work synergistically with insulin, in order to drive glucose into the cells for energy production.

4. There are other hormones, such as DHEA and pregnenolone, that boost the effect of thyroid hormone on carbohydrate metabolism.

The scientific evidence shows that dieting induces a thyroid-deficient state that slows the body's metabolic rate. If body weight is to be controlled by diet, something must be done to safely boost thyroid hormone to near pre-diet levels.

Research Abounds on Soy Protein

There are more than 80 years of scientific research to document the ability of Soy protein to lower blood fat levels. A study in the August 3, 1995, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine showed that Soy protein lowered LDL cholesterol by 12.9 percent and triglycerides by 10.5 percent. One mechanism by which Soy reduces blood fats is by boosting thyroid hormone levels. An added benefit: studies show that thyroid hormone burns up harmful LDL cholesterol globules in the blood.

Because of the many documented health benefits from soy intake, the Life Extension Foundation suggests that anyone seeking to lose weight safely through dieting should take 6 to 30 grams a day of Soy protein concentrate. Soy protein not only boosts thyroid hormone levels to burn sugar calories, it also contains an amino acid complex that helps spare the body's protein stores, which are often broken down in response to dieting. The phyto estrogens and essential fatty acids in soy further help to promote weight loss.

The Life Extension Foundation has recommended soy protein concentrates to cancer patients for many years. Soy protein extracts contain eight to 10 times more of the active ingredients of soy than conventional soy extracts. Some of these ingredients are cancer-preventing phytoestrogens, such as genistein.

Soy protein powder has a light, pleasant-tasting nutty flavor. If you consume 6 to 30 grams of Soy Power in water, you may be able to skip a meal because the Soy protein, which contains essential fatty acids, and the soy fiber have a satiating effect.

The isoflavones (especially genistein) contained in soy protein extracts have potent cancer prevention effects, especially against breast and prostate cancer. Cancer patients often take high doses of soy protein extract as an adjuvant (assisting) therapy because of studies showing that the genistein inhibits cancer cell proliferation via several well-established mechanisms. And, as noted, soy protein also has been shown to lower cholesterol, possibly via its thyroid hormone stimulating effect.

Soy intake is associated with significant reductions in the risk of many forms of cancer and in blood fat levels. Many Foundation members already are taking supplemental soy to reduce their risk of cancer, especially breast and prostate cancer.

The optimal method of taking soy protein extract is to take one to two heaping tablespoons (20 to 40 grams) of the powder each day. Soy extract capsules are available, but may not provide the full spectrum of soy constituents needed to boost tyroid hormone output.

Magnesium and Chromium

While thyroid hormone plays a definite role in weight management, the scientific literature makes it clear that both magnesium and chromium also are required to break down the cellular insulin resistance that causes higher-than-normal blood sugar levels.

Overweight people usually suffer from insulin impairment that prevents the proper cell uptake of carbohydrates (sugars). Excessive serum glucose is converted into body fat unless this insulin resistance is broken down and the cells are able to regain youthful carbohydrate metabolism. Chromium has received widespread publicity for its ability to lower serum glucose levels by potentiating insulin sensitivity. Studies have shown that chromium supplementation results in a slight reduction in body fat and an increase in lean body mass. Niacin improves the metabolic-enhancing effect of chromium picolinate.

To improve the fat-reducing effects of dieting, the Foundation now suggests that one capsule of this new chromium picolinate be taken with every meal to facilitate youthful carbohydrate metabolism. The importance of taking a chromium capsule with each meal is illustrated in animal studies in which chromium was given throughout the day in order to lower serum glucose levels. When you consume food, your serum glucose levels rise significantly unless your cells are sensitized to insulin. Chromium will help sensitize your cells to insulin by helping to lower your blood sugar levels.

You should not take more than three 200-mg chromium capsules a day. Always take antioxidant supplements like Vitamin-E when you take chromium, to protect against free radical activity. At least 30 mg of niacin should be contained in each 200-microgram chromium picolinate capsule.

While chromium has received the most media attention, the scientific literature shows that magnesium plays an even more important role in regulating carbohydrate metabolism. Magnesium is involved in a number of enzymatic reactions required for cells to uptake and metabolize glucose. Magnesium deficiency causes insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar levels.

About 80 percent of Americans are magnesium-deficient. When they go on a diet, they become severely deficient in magnesium, which causes the insulin resistance that contributes to the failure of the diet. Life Extension Mix contains high amounts of magnesium. For those going on a calorie-restricted diet, it is suggested that at least one 500-mg magnesium capsule a day be taken in addition to the full dose Life Extension Mix .

The Anabolic Hormone DHEA

Hormone deficiencies are a cause of age-associated weight gain. DHEA has kept old animals remarkably thin, but has not worked this well in humans. Nevertheless, many older people taking DHEA report anabolic muscle gain and fat loss. DHEA has been shown to boost insulin growth factor (IGF-1) in humans, and the increase in this youth factor may be responsible for the fat reduction and anabolic effects seen in some elderly people. The main benefits to people over 40 in restoring DHEA levels to a youthful state includes immune enhancement, protection against neurological disease and memory loss, reductions in risks of certain cancers, alleviation of depression, and protection against osteoporosis.

For people over 35 years of age, DHEA-replacement therapy is suggested as part of an overall weight management program. The average dose of DHEA for men should be 25 mg of DHEA, three times a day. Women need only 15 mg of DHEA, three times a day.

CAUTION: Refer to the DHEA-Pregnenolone Precautions protocol before taking DHEA.

Most dieters need help in taking off pounds. They need dietary aids to jump-start the weight-loss process to give them the encouragement they need to stay on the program long enough to succeed. That's why we recommend nutrients that fight diseases while taking off pounds. Nutrients make you look and feel better while you're losing weight, and it's easy to continue to take them year-after-year to stay healthy and fit.

Here is a re-capitulation of the disease-fighting nutrients we recommend for weight loss:

Chitosan

Chitosan is a fiber that binds to fat molecules in the gut to inhibit dietary fat from being absorbed into the bloodstream. Fat in the blood readily converts into body fat. The best way of using chitosan is to take between 1,500 and 3,000 mg of chitosan immediately before a meal that contains fat. Drink at least 8 ounces of water with the chitosan. The chitosan capsules will burst open in your stomach within five minutes and be available to absorb dietary fat in your stomach and intestine before the fat can be absorbed into your bloodstream. The fat bound to the chitosan is then carried out of your body in the feces. Studies show that chitosan absorbs 44 percent more dietary fat on average than any other fiber tested.

The recommended dosage also should help to reduce harmful LDL cholesterol by binding to bile acids secreted by the liver into the intestine and preventing their reabsorption into the bloodstream.

CAUTION: Do not take chitosan and CLA together. The chitosan will absorb the CLA and prevent it from getting into the bloodstream. Do not take CoQ10 Rice Bran Oil capsules, Mega EPA, MEGA GLA , or flax oil with chitosan; they also will become trapped in the chitosan and be unavailable for absorption. Take your essential fatty acid oil supplements all together first thing in the morning if you are going to use chitosan throughout the day to absorb dietary fat.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid

CLA inhibits fat storage by enhancing the ability of cell membranes (other than fat cells) to open up and allow the absorption of fats and other nutrients. CLA promotes the growth of muscles by letting nutrients into active muscle cells. The fat-reducing mechanism of CLA involves the rejuvenation of cell membranes in the muscles and connective tissues to allow fats to enter freely in order to generate energy and growth. This anabolic effect could provide anti-aging benefits in the elderly. Remember, do not take with chitosan, as the chitosan will absorb the CLA before it can get into your bloodstream. Take six 500-mg capsules of CLA every day to duplicate successful fat-loss clinical studies.

Chromium and Magnesium

Insulin resistance prevents serum glucose from entering cells. If glucose cannot get into the cells to produce energy, it will be stored in the body as fat. Chromium picolinate and magnesium have been shown to help break down cellular insulin resistance. For chromium to be effective in the body, it needs to have niacin present. Many health-conscious people receive supplemental niacin with their B-complex formula, but Prolongevity's chromium supplement contains 30 mg of niacin in addition to 200 micrograms of chromium picolinate in each capsule. This small amount of niacin does not usually produce a niacin "flush," but does ensure that niacin will be available to work with chromium to reduce serum glucose levels by breaking down insulin resistance. The published studies actually show that magnesium is more effective than chromium in breaking down insulin resistance.

Magnesium deficiency is another cause of excess weight gain in Americans. chromium can lower cholesterol levels as well as serum glucose levels. Magnesium can protect against heart attacks and stroke. Taking these supplements to help lose weight may provide significant life extension benefits in addition to weight loss. Take at least 500 mg of elemental magnesium every day. One 200-microgram capsule of chrominum picolinate should be taken with each meal.

Soy Protein

A deficiency of thyroid hormone can slow down metabolic actions in the body and cause weight gain. Consumption of Soy protein can boost the body's natural secretion of thyroid hormone, thereby increasing the body's metabolic rate. Thyroid hormone also is necessary to drive glucose into the cells. The isoflavones (especially genistein) contained in soy protein extracts have potent cancer-prevention effects, especially against breast and prostate cancer. Cancer patients often take high doses of soy protein extract as an adjuvant (assisting) therapy because of studies showing that the genistein inhibits cancer cell proliferation via several well-established mechanisms. Soy protein also has been shown to lower cholesterol, possibly via its thyroid hormone stimulating effect. Take 20 to 40 grams of Soy protein extract powder once a day.

DHEA

Almost everyone gains weight as they grow older. One cause of age-related weight gain is the progressive decline in the body's levels of the hormone DHEA . Many older people who take DHEA report muscle gain and fat loss. Other benefits to people over 40 in restoring DHEA to youthful levels include improved immune function, protection against memory loss, relief of depressive symptoms, protection against osteoporosis, and reduction in the risk of certain cancers. Refer to the DHEA-Pregnenolone Precautions protocol before taking DHEA.

The Weight-Loss Regimen

Those seeking significant fat-loss effects should commit to a two to three month program that would involve the following schedule:

First thing in the morning:

Six CLA capsules (some people need only four CLA capsules)

One DHEA capsule (take with an antioxidant like Life Extension Mix )

One chromium picolinate-niacin capsule

One heaping tablespoon of Soy protein powder (Soy can be taken at another time of the day if desired)

Five minutes before lunch:

Six 500-mg chitosan capsules with an eight ounce glass of water (some people need only three chitosan capsules)

One 1,000-mg ascorbic acid capsule

One chromium picolinate-niacin capsule

One DHEA capsule

Five minutes before dinner:

Six 500-mg chitosan capsules with an eight ounce glass of water (some people need only three chitosan capsules)

One 1,000-mg ascorbic acid capsule

One chromium picolinate-niacin capsule

One 500-mg magnesium capsule

Product availability: Chromium picolinate with niacin, conjugated linoleic acid, Soy Protein powder, magnesium, vitamin E, Chitosan and DHEA can be ordered by phoning 1-800-544-4440 or order OnLine.