Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) for weight loss: Health Benefits, Risk & Dosage

What Is CLA?

Conjugated linoleic acid or CLA for short, also is a type of polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid that exists naturally in some meat and dairy items. Although CLA is an omega-6 ruminant acid, its structure varies from that of regular omega-6 fatty acids obtained in vegetable oils since CLA’s double bonds are “conjugated” thus; they are not uniformly distributed throughout the molecule.

This distinguishing feature is critical to explaining the various health advantages CLA is believed to provide and distinguishing it from other fatty acids. CLA exists in 28 various isomers, that is, they exhibit a similar molecular formula but have distinct arrangements of physiological isomers and thus differing biological effects. They range in effect, and the best-known one is the one discovered in most animal items.

Although technically a trans fatty acid, CLA is a naturally occurring compound and is vastly unique from trans fat chemicals used in industry, which are notoriously hazardous. Indeed, numerous healthy foods also contain this kind of trans fat, which is thought to have a variety of advantages.

Virtually everyone obtains some CLA from meals, the amount is typically limited, and it is available in supplements for those who wish to take higher doses for its health. CLA is only available in minute amounts as a natural trans fatty acid. The major sources of CLA are the meat and dairy of ruminant animals.

Potential Uses and Benefits

Although the bioavailability of supplemental CLA is relatively low and varies between animal and human studies, CLA is one of the few natural weight loss supplements with decent research evidence to support its efficacy. Observational and test-tube human results are quite consistent based on the limited trials and literature available.

While animal research cannot be undocumented, the efficiency of CLA continues to be revealed in human intervention trials, providing contradictory results. The fat loss results of CLA treatment in the human population remain limited to exercise training only. While the average effect is modest and diminishes after six months of treatment, CLA doses offer the action course venue with fat loss potential.

Food Sources

The primary dietary sources of CLA are the meat and dairy products of ruminant animals, i.e. cows, goats, and sheep. These foods contain more CLA when animal products are obtained from grass-fed animal meat rather than grain-fed beef. For example, beef from grass-fed cows, butter and dairy products, and cheese contain fivefold to threefold more CLA than industrialized products from grain-fed cows.

Thus, natural CLA in animal-derived dairy and meat products, particularly in organic types. CLA is obtained from the diets of the majority of individuals.

Dietary CLA consumption is projected to be about 151 mg/day for women and 212 mg/day for men in the US, CLA supplements are not naturally occurring but are chemically produced from linoleic acid. CLAs are chemically generated from linoleic acid obtained from vegetable oils, which makes them distinct and possibly less health-beneficial.

Risks & Side Effects

despite the widespread use of CLA supplements due to their possible applications in weight loss, they pose several risks to consumers primarily. Research on high doses of supplemental CLA report an increased accumulation of fat in the liver, a phenomenon that can develop into metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Furthermore, CLA supplementation has only been found to be linked to mild inflammation, insulin resistance development, and reduced “good” HDL cholesterol.

Even though limited adverse effects have been reported for doses exceeding 6 grams, the immediate impacts and long-term outcomes of CLA supplementation are unknown. Mild negative effects include excess oxidative stress and diarrhea from CLA intakes exceeding 6 grams. Thus, CLA supplementation should only be used with caution and as a last resort, with natural CLA from foods likely being more beneficial than synthetically produced.

CLA Dosage for Weight Loss

The dosage range for the CLA supplement used in studies is between 3.2 to 6.4 grams per day. Nevertheless, it has been shown that no weight loss benefits from a minimum daily lean intake of three grams. Between this range, CLA is considered harmless, and no major negative effects are humans.

For instance, the Food and Drug Administration has provided CLA with a gras status, which means it can be added to food. However, side effects may increase with the level of dose. While it has been observed that doses of up to 6 grams per day are safe, higher doses produce more health concerns.

Several studies showed that huge doses of CLA can cause fat to grow in the liver, which is a symptom of metabolic diseases like metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Therefore, users should prescribe the recommended dose to avoid developing health issues.

Final Thoughts

While CLA has received attention for its weight-loss potential, the results are quite unimpressive. In the first six months, an individual would most likely lose more, but the result peaks and plateaus afterward. On average, one could lose no more than 0.2 pounds of fat in a week, which would equal 3 pounds in six months.

This amount of loss is statistically significant but does not have pronounced effects that could significantly change an individual’s life. Moreover, the CLA component as it is in foods and CLA products is very different in their composition and the way the body specifically uses it.

Natural CLA affects metabolism and general health in a positive way, which is why eating enough beef, lamb, and cheese can improve one’s metabolic health and help fight diseases like Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease, while synthetic CLA has unknown effects and citing potential dangers that may come with highly purified synthetic CLA.

Considering the weak effect of weight loss and the potential dangers of high dosages, the pros and cons of using the supplement should be critically balanced and compared to reasonable methods. CLA can be helpful in losing fat but not in a more efficient way than multiple other more beneficial and less hazardous methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Brittany Ferri, MS, OTRL, CLT

Brittany Ferri is a registered and licensed occupational therapist. Her clinical experiences include psychosocial therapy, orthopedic r... [Read Full Bio]