CLA Supplements and Weight Loss

CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid, is a natural compound found in dairy products and some other foods such as beef and safflower oil. It is a nutrient used by the body to facilitate metabolic processes. These processes can promote weight loss and fat burning. There has been a cloud of hype and promotion surrounding CLA supplements, but are they really a safe way to achieve weight loss?

Clinical Research of the Effects of CLA Supplements

A recent study found in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that people who took CLA supplements did not achieve more weight loss over the course of one year than others who took a placebo. Another study conducted by Sandra Einerhand, PhD, of Lipid Nutrition resulted in a different conclusion.

Participants in this study were randomly given either a placebo or CLA supplements. After 6 months, the people who took the supplements experienced greater weight loss than the placebo group - an extra 1.5 pounds. In the end, the study concluded that participants who took the CLA supplements experienced 5.6% more weight loss than those who did not.

Long Term Use and Safety of CLA Supplements

There has been some concern over the safety of consuming CLA supplements for long term weight loss. A study conducted by the University of Wisconsin examined this concern. A group of obese participants were given 6 grams of CLA per day for a period of one year. Another group was given a placebo. The study shows that the CLA group had no increased health risks due to taking the supplements. However, this is one of the few studies of its kind to be conducted. Many questions regarding CLA supplements for weight loss remain unanswered.

Increasing CLA Intake to Promote Weight Loss

Although CLA is found in several foods, they are typically fatty and dangerous in large amounts, which would counteract any weight loss benefits. It is found in abundance in whole milk dairy products, but "low-fat" and "fat-free" products contain very little CLA.

Organic dairy products contain 30% more CLA than their non-organic counterparts. Meat from cows and chickens that are range-fed also contains much more CLA. Eating organic and free-range animal products is beneficial in many ways but they can also promote weight loss through increased CLA consumption.

The best way to increase intake, however, may be through the use of CLA supplements. Any regimen should be supervised by a doctor, as many effects of the substance are currently unknown.

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