CLA: Reduce Body Fat, Increase Lean Muscle

A little secret is spreading fast among consumers: Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) helps to sculpt their bodies by reducing body fat and increasing lean muscle.

CLA refers to a mixture of bioactive geometric isomers of linoleic acid. Two major forms of CLA—c-9,t-11 CLA and t-10,c-12 CLA—exist naturally in the diet and have beneficial effects on health, specifically to improve body composition. At least 3 grams per day dietary CLA is necessary to achieve body fat loss (Journal of Nutrition, 2000; 130:2943-2948).

ABCs of CLA

CLA is naturally found in beef and dairy products, vegetable oils and seafood. Cows and other ruminant animals produce CLA naturally from linoleic acid, which is present in the cows’ diet (e.g., grass). However, obtaining CLA from the diet is problematic, since today it is only present in very low levels in foods, due to less grazing and more feed being consumed by the majority of ruminant animals. In fact, Larry Satter, researcher at the Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, WI, conducted a study in 2000 comparing the CLA level in milk from cows grazing on pasture to the amount from cows fed hay or silage, and found pasture-grazed cows had 500% more CLA in their milk than those fed silage. So today’s dairy contains approximately 2 to 5 mg CLA per gram of fat and beef contains 3 to 5 mg CLA per gram of fat, making it difficult to get the needed 3.2 grams CLA per day without supplementation.

There is a solution to increasing our consumption of CLA. This can be achieved by supplementation and the fortification of foods. Commercial CLA is produced from linoleic acid (found in high amounts in sunflower and safflower oil) using a process that gently converts the linoleic acid into conjugated linoleic acid.

On July 24, 2008, CLA attained GRAS status for certain food categories. CLA is now allowed in the following applications: yogurt, fluid milk, soy-based beverages, fruit juices, nutritional bars and meal replacement beverages. This now allows the food processor to incorporate a beneficial healthy fat that has been excluded from the definition of trans fatty acids by FDA (Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 101)

Addressing weighty issues

But now the big question: How can a fatty acid help in the fight against obesity?

CLA has been shown to inhibit the activity of lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme involved in the uptake of fat into fat cells, and thus may prevent the accumulation of body fat (Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta, 2001; 1534:27–33).

The most exciting results are in the area of weight management and body composition, as several short-term studies have demonstrated that CLA can positively affect body composition and has a beneficial effect on lean muscle mass (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2004; 79:352-361). These effects on fat loss were confirmed in a recent meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that reported at a dose of 3.2 grams per day, CLA produces a significant, but modest, loss in body fat (2007; 85(5):1203-11).

The British Journal of Nutrition

published the latest clinical trial results on Clarinol™ CLA (2007, 97:550–560). This new research was the first to demonstrate that CLA reduces fat mass in particular locations of the body, independent of exercise or diet. The volunteers in the trial lost 2 kg of fat (equal to 4.4 lbs.). The women in the CLA group showed fat reduction located in the leg and waist areas, whereas for men the fat reduction was mainly in the waist area/mid-section. Previous research was unable to establish this pattern of fat reduction.

The accumulation of positive data on CLA has gained the attention of consumers, resulting in increased sales of CLA-based weight management products. Lipid Nutrition, produces Clarinol™ CLA as a clear, golden oil and in a powder form. These different forms are in a triglyceride structure specifically developed to function in taste-sensitive foods.

Almost every family can identify a relative or two—or perhaps even several—that have been confronted with the issue of weight gain or obesity. With obesity becoming a larger health issue, many consumers are looking for food products that not only taste good but can provide weight-management benefits.

The health benefits of CLA on body composition include: reduction of body fat and increase in lean muscle. While CLA is not the final solution for obesity in the United States and other parts of the world, it shows great promise as a significant piece in the puzzle to help combat this serious issue.

Marianne O’ Shea, Ph.D. ([email protected]), is the Director of North America for Lipid Nutrition B.V. Her responsibilities include the sales and profitability growth for the North American region, which includes the United States and Canada. O’Shea has a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a Ph.D. that focused on the mechanisms of action of bioactive lipids. She has conducted research in the area of conjugated linoleic acid since 1996 and has given many presentations on this work internationally, she also holds publications and patents in this area. Lipid Nutrition, a supplier of lipid-based ingredients, produces Clarinol CLA, the first "GRAS approved” health ingredient targeted at the weight-management concerns of consumers.