CLA is actually an essential fatty acid. The CLA in food supplements usually comes from vegetable sources like sunflower and safflower oils.

CLA may actually convert calories to healthy muscle tissue - a big help to anyone trying to get in shape. (No wonder body builders love it!)

(Below is condensed from an article by Chet Zelasko, PhD in www.quixtar.com - search for “CLA 500” as well as shop/order > health > product FAQs)

What is CLA?

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a fatty acid predominantly found in beef and dairy products. With a shift from beef to poultry, today the most prevalent form of CLA can be found in food supplements – usually made from sunflower or other form of vegetable oil.

CLA, the muscle link

What is the relationship between CLA and weight loss? Scientists are still uncovering it. For years we’ve known that animals fed high amounts of CLA lost body fat and increased muscle mass. This type of research was in response to our desire to raise meat with less fat – especially saturated fat. The logical extension of that research was to see if the same thing would happen in human beings. Two recent studies indicate it very well may.

A study published in Nutrition Research demonstrated that overweight subjects taking 3.4 grams (3,400 mg or 7 CLA 500 softgels) of CLA every day for 12 weeks lost body fat without losing muscle mass – even though they didn’t diet. Adding to the evidence, a study recently published in the International Journal of Obesity reported that overweight men taking 4.2 grams (4,200 mg or 9 CLA 500 softgels) of CLA every day lost a significant amount of fat around their waist – probably the most dangerous area to store body fat. Both studies were well designed using double blind, placebo-controlled methodology.

Give your weight loss program an edge.

·         Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables; whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice; quality protein from fish, nuts, beans, and lean cuts of beef; and quality fat, especially olive oil and flaxseed oil.

·         Exercise regularly including aerobic exercise and weight training.

·         Drink plenty of water – at least one-half your body weight in ounces of filtered water every day.

·         Take CLA. Available as a food supplement, 2–3 grams per day, when combined with a lower caloric intake, should give you the edge you need to lose weight and keep it off.

Prepared by Bob Jordan, March 2003, rjordan@wwdb.org