It concluded that taking 2.4–6 grams per day for 6–12 months reduced body fat by 2.93 lbs (1.33 kg), compared to placebo ( 20). One review of these studies evaluated its long-term effectiveness on fat loss in overweight and obese participants.
Several other studies have also looked at the effects of CLA on weight loss in humans. While these findings were considered significant, this translates to less than half a pound per month. Those who supplemented with 3.2 grams per day lost an average of 0.11 pounds (0.05 kg) per week, compared to a placebo. Research in humans shows that CLA has only a modest weight loss benefit.Ī review of 18 high-quality, human studies looked at the effects of CLA supplementation on weight loss ( 19). Human Studies Show Little Weight Loss Benefits These significant findings in animals prompted researchers to test its fat-burning effects in humans. This means that increased doses resulted in decreased gains in body fat ( 18). One study in mice found that supplementing with CLA for six weeks reduced body fat by 70%, compared to a placebo ( 13).ĬLA has also prevented fat gain in animals and test-tube studies ( 14, 15, 16, 17).Ī study in pigs showed that it decreased fat growth in a dose-dependent manner. Research has shown that CLA reduces body fat in animals by increasing the amounts of specific enzymes and proteins that are involved in fat breakdown ( 9, 10, 11, 12). However, its fat-burning potential is much stronger in animals than it is in humans. Many high-quality studies have analyzed the effects of CLA on fat loss in animals and humans. While it’s not an essential nutrient, it’s commonly taken as a dietary supplement for its purported fat-burning benefits. Summary CLA is a naturally occurring fatty acid.
Nevertheless, many people take CLA supplements for their purported fat-burning effects. Industrially produced trans fats are strongly linked to heart disease, while naturally produced trans fats may be good for you ( 5, 6, 7, 8).ĬLA is not an essential fatty acid, so you don’t need to obtain it from your diet for optimal health. But the trans fats found naturally in meat and dairy products are much different than the industrially produced, artificial trans fats found in baked goods and fast food. T10, c12 is also present in foods, albeit in much smaller amounts ( 4).Īs the term “trans” implies, this fatty acid is technically a trans fat.
There are many different forms of it, but the two important ones are called c9, t11 (cis-9, trans-11) and t10, c12 (trans-10, cis-12) ( 3).Ĭ9, t11 is most abundant in food, whereas t10, c12 is the form most often found in CLA supplements and associated with weight loss. It is then stored in the animals’ muscle tissues and milk. CLA is naturally produced by grazing animals ( 1).Ĭows and other pastured ruminants such as goats and deer have a unique enzyme in their digestive system that converts the omega-6 fatty acids in green plants to CLA ( 2).