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Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): Does This Diet Pill Work?
Posted on Nov 25th 2009 2:15PM by Deborah DunhamConjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a diet pill that some believe will help you build muscle and lose weight.
CLA is a naturally occurring fatty acid found in meat and dairy products. It is responsible for helping to transport, store and metabolize fats in the body. It is produced by bacteria in the gut of animals including sheep, cows and turkeys, and small amounts of CLA are also found in plants such as sunflowers and safflowers. Scientists believe that humans can also produce CLA with a healthy diet and the proper balance of bacteria in their gut.
CLA has been investigated for its anti-cancer properties, and more recently, for its ability as a weight-loss product. This dietary supplement is sold in health food stores as a drug or syrup and claims to help people lose fat, maintain weight loss, increase lean muscle mass and control type 2 diabetes -- the type of diabetes often associated with obesity.
When looking at CLA as a weight-loss aid, registered dietitian and nutrition consultant, Tara Gidus, advises people to proceed with caution.
"First, there is no magic pill out there for weight loss, however, CLA does show some promise," Gidus said. "Quite a few studies have shown a reduction in body fat percentage and maintenance of lean mass when subjects have taken CLA. A meta-analysis was done (as outlined in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2007) looking at all of the research on CLA and the consensus seems to be that it may help aid in loss of body fat."
Experts agree that dieters should not rely solely on diet pills. "The weight loss changes with CLA are small, and someone should not expect fat to melt from their body without reducing calories and increasing activity," stated Gidus.
For more information on weight-loss supplements, check out a review of this FDA-banned diet drug. Plus, That's Fit's nutritionist columnist Johnny Bowden gave his own review of Conjugated linoleic acid for weight loss.
CLA is a naturally occurring fatty acid found in meat and dairy products. It is responsible for helping to transport, store and metabolize fats in the body. It is produced by bacteria in the gut of animals including sheep, cows and turkeys, and small amounts of CLA are also found in plants such as sunflowers and safflowers. Scientists believe that humans can also produce CLA with a healthy diet and the proper balance of bacteria in their gut.
CLA has been investigated for its anti-cancer properties, and more recently, for its ability as a weight-loss product. This dietary supplement is sold in health food stores as a drug or syrup and claims to help people lose fat, maintain weight loss, increase lean muscle mass and control type 2 diabetes -- the type of diabetes often associated with obesity.
When looking at CLA as a weight-loss aid, registered dietitian and nutrition consultant, Tara Gidus, advises people to proceed with caution.
"First, there is no magic pill out there for weight loss, however, CLA does show some promise," Gidus said. "Quite a few studies have shown a reduction in body fat percentage and maintenance of lean mass when subjects have taken CLA. A meta-analysis was done (as outlined in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2007) looking at all of the research on CLA and the consensus seems to be that it may help aid in loss of body fat."
Experts agree that dieters should not rely solely on diet pills. "The weight loss changes with CLA are small, and someone should not expect fat to melt from their body without reducing calories and increasing activity," stated Gidus.
For more information on weight-loss supplements, check out a review of this FDA-banned diet drug. Plus, That's Fit's nutritionist columnist Johnny Bowden gave his own review of Conjugated linoleic acid for weight loss.
