The Benefits of CLA That Nutritionists Won't Tell You

Conjugated Linoleic Acid, or "CLA" for short, is a naturally occurring fatty acid found in both plants and animals. Currently, CLA has gained attention in nutrition and dietary supplement industries due to its various health benefits.

The Discovery of CLA 

CLA was initially discovered between 1935-1937. The first discovery was made in 1935 by British scientist R.T. Holman, who observed conjugated fatty acids in cow's milk. However, the exact chemical structure of CLA wasn't identified at that time.

Later in 1977, German researcher H. J. Dutton and his team studied and clearly identified CLA's chemical structure, confirming it as a fatty acid with conjugated double bonds.

CLA and Health 

Since the 1990s, numerous studies have investigated CLA's health effects, including weight loss, anti-inflammation, and cardiovascular disease prevention. This led to CLA's widespread use in dietary supplements.

Research on plant-based CLA began in the 2000s, studying and developing CLA from plant sources like safflower oil as an alternative for those who don't consume animal products.

"Recommended dosage: Generally, CLA doses used in studies range from 3-6 grams per day"

How CLA Works 

CLA reduces fat mass and preserves muscle mass through various mechanisms:

• a) Inhibits lipoprotein lipase (LPL) enzyme, reducing fat storage in fat cells

• b) Increases fatty acid oxidation in muscles and liver

• c) Reduces new fat cell formation (adipogenesis)

• d) Stimulates fat breakdown (lipolysis) in fat cells

CLA Health Research 

A 2009 study by Norris et al. on CLA's relationship with weight loss and body composition in overweight postmenopausal women found that supplementing with 6.4g of CLA daily for 16 weeks significantly reduced body fat mass.

Research by Steck et al. in 2007 showed that supplementing with 3.2g of CLA daily for 12 weeks helped reduce body fat mass without affecting muscle mass in overweight individuals.

Additionally, studies have examined CLA's relationship with exercise. Pinkoski et al.' in a 2006 study found that supplementing with 5g of CLA daily combined with resistance training for 7 weeks increased muscle mass and reduced body fat more effectively than the placebo group.

References

• Derakhshande-Rishehri, S. M., Mansourian, M., Kelishadi, R., & Heidari-Beni, M. (2015). Association of foods enriched in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and CLA supplements with lipid profile in human studies: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Public Health Nutrition, 18(11), 2041-2054.

• Koba, K., & Yanagita, T. (2014). Health benefits of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, 8(6), e525-e532.

• Dilzer, A., & Park, Y. (2012). Implication of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in human health. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 52(6), 488-513.