A lot of people have been talking about Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) recently. They commonly ask questions about it, although having no idea what it does how it does it, where it comes from and how much should be taken. This material is intended to clarify the most important facts about the conjugated linoleic acid-CLA.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid, or CLA, is a mixture of fatty acids that have the general structure of linoleic acid where the double bonds exist two carbons away from each other. They are all polyunsaturated fatty acids, and some may be trans fatty acids.
CLA has been claimed to be a fat burner and health-promoting agent due to its effect on a molecular signaling receptor family related to fat burning, inflammation, and lipid metabolism.
The causes of the occurrence of this new substance are the studies done by Michael Parisa from the University of Wisconsin-Madison on the carcinogenic effects of different fats.
The initial experiments on laboratory animals (mice and rats), that were on an experimental diet with CLA exclusively, have found, after the dissection, that that there is a significant increase in muscle tissue and a decrease in fat.
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General Information About CLA
The causes of the occurrence of this new substance are the studies done by Michael Parisa from the University of Wisconsin-Madison on the carcinogenic effects of different fats.
The initial experiments on laboratory animals (mice and rats), that were on an experimental diet with CLA exclusively, have found, after the dissection, that that there is a significant increase in muscle tissue and a decrease in fat.
This determined its future commercial application in the field of fitness and bodybuilding. It was found that the application of CLA in doses of 0.1-1% of the daily diet of mice has a good anti-cancer effect on mammary tumors.
Later, calculations and studies in humans showed that the amounts in these quantities are highly inflated and the desired effect can be seen also with the intake of much smaller doses. Five or six years ago CLA was found by trade names "Clarinol" of Loders & Croklaan (Holland) and "Tonalin" (USA), but today many companies manufacture it.
It’s advertising today is very intense and, besides the already mentioned effects, people talk about its protective functions against prostate and skin cancer (including melanoma).
What Is Actually Inside the Products Containing CLA
There are triglycerides, inside which there are two isomers of conjugated dienes of linoleic acid. It is important to know that these isomers - c-9, t-11 (cis-9, trans-11) and t-10, c-12 (trans-10, cis-12) are present in a ratio of 60%: 40%. In some companies, the ratio is 50%: 50%, but that is the reason for the different patterns of different manufacturers.
The triglyceride forms in commercial products, of course, does not contain 100% CLA (it is often about 80% or less of 60% of the total fatty acids), and there are other fatty acids (mainly unsaturated), which are used as "fillers." According to the statements of some companies, their products are naturally derived from saffron oil.
I, personally, am not convinced that they can obtain such quantities of triglycerides on an industrial scale from natural sources and I think that these companies use enzymatic synthesis - esterification of glycerol with a mixture of unsaturated fatty acids with a predominance of CLA.
Natural Sources of CLA
Mainly found in some oils, but we take it most often with the consumption of beef and veal, from cow's milk, cheese, and dairy products from ruminants.
There is a proportional correlation between the feeding of those animals with cereals and the amount of CLA in milk, but in general, that is an insignificant amount, compared to the effective dose of 3.4 grams for an adult. CLA gets structurally changed into LA (linoleic acid ) in their bodies.
Effect and Dosage of the Acid
A significant effect on reducing the body fat and increasing muscle tissue is achieved at doses of 3 g-4 g (depending on weight) of CLA per day for 3-4 months and must, of course, be combined with diet and physical exercise.
Some authors mention also small quantities, but at a prolonged intake. The use of CLA in the process of losing weight is done in order to reduce some side effects such as depression, irritability, skin problems, loss of hair and others.
The isomer c-9, t-11 is believed to be responsible for the increased insulin sensitivity, leading to an increase in active muscle mass, as well as the anticancer effects of CLA.
Disputes and Discussions on CLA
In the years of study, there were a number of disputes on the effects of CLA. The most notable, however, was in respect of the CLA isomer t-10, c-12.
The question was how to eliminate it from the body, as it is believed that it is unusual for the human organism. Forthcoming future studies are to be conducted and we will continue to follow them with great interest.
