Can CLA supplements support weight loss or this another hyped ingredient with minor payoff?

What Is It?

 Linoleic Acid is a polyunsaturated fat produced by bacteria living in the intestines of ruminant animals (think livestock). When two double bonds in a Linoleic acid molecule are separated by a single bond, it becomes conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

Of the 20+ variations of CLA, the two most commonly studied are cis-9,trans-11 (c-9,t-11) and  trans-10,cis-12 (t-10,c-12). Without getting too bogged down into the bio-chemistry, the names simply refer to the type of bond formed on the specific position of the CLA molecule.  So for cis9, trans-11, there is a cis bond on the 9^th position and a trans-bond on the 11^th position.  CLA is a trans-fat. However, naturally occurring trans-fats do no come with the negative side effects associated with synthesized forms. 

Between cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10,cis-12, the former exists in higher quantities  whereas the latter seems to have some noticeable influence on fat mass. Nonetheless, CLA supplementation implores a 1:1 ratio of the two isomers. 

How (It’s Supposed) To Work

 CLA is reasoned to change fat mass by binding to Peroxisome Proliferator activated Receptor alpha (PPARa) to the liver. This binding process  may increase the rate of fat oxidation (the usage of fat for energy instead of glucose). Additionally, CLA can inhibit PPARy receptors in adipose (fat) cells and actually reduce the rate of fat accumulation. There is also minor evidence that the conjugated molecule can augment lipolysis (the releasing of fatty acids from triglycerides)   

Science Says…… 

The good news is that CLA has been studied by researchers since the 1980s and has been demonstrated to consistently accelerate fat loss in animal studies.

Now for some bad news

When it comes to human trials, CLA is an inconsistent molecule. For every study that supports its fat burning prowess (Read Here, Read Here, Read Here, Read Here), there is an equal number of counter studies that refute its ability (Read Here, Read Here, Read Here, Read Here). What’s very interesting is that there seems to be a dosage sweet spot for CLA at 3-3.4g per day. Dosages below and above this range rarely outperformed the placebo on a consistent basis. Obese individuals are slightly more likely to benefit from CLA than otherwise healthy persons. But before you pull out your debit card, a meta-analysis (Read Here) revealed that CLA consumption on average elicits fat loss of 2.98lbs over a period of about 9 months. Compared to other fat burner supplements, that is not impressive.     

Anything Else 

Since CLAs are produced by animals such as cows, goats, and sheep, you can acquire the conjugated fat from meat and dairy products (yogurt is a great option). Most CLA supplements in fact do no utilize animal sources and instead rely on safflower and sunflower oils, which can be harmful to some people in high dosages. There is some growing evidence that CLA may be protective against the negative side effects of inflammatory bowel diseases (Read Here, Read Here).

Our Recommendation

 While CLA is not completely useless, there is no reason to expect this fat to help you reach your fat loss goals. Any evidence for changes in fat mass are minor and don’t indicate that CLA is consistent tool for changing body composition. There are better choices.

Dosage: 3-3.4g/Daily