CLA fails to keep the weight off
The supplement CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) may not live up
to its claims in helping dieters lose weight or burn fat, according
to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Researchers from found that obese people who took the supplement
for one year did not lose any more weight than those who took a
placebo.
In addition, the study shows that CLA did not prevent weight
or fat regain after weight loss.
In the study, researchers examined the effects of one year of
supplementation with CLA on body weight and body fat regain in
a group of 101 obese men and women who lost more than 8% of their
body weight through a calorie-restriction diet. Half of the participants
took 3.4 grams per day of CLA and the other half took a placebo.
The results showed that there were no significant differences
in body weight or body fat regain between the two groups. Both
groups gained an average of about 9 pounds in body weight and more
than 4 pounds in body fat during the study.
No significant side effects were associated with CLA supplementation,
but those who took the supplement had an increased number of white
blood cells. Elevated white blood cells may mean increased inflammation,
but the researchers write that "the clinical relevance of
this finding is still unclear."
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Reference
Larsen TM, Toubro S, Gudmundsen O, Astrup A. (2006). Conjugated
linoleic acid supplementation for 1 y does not prevent weight
or body fat regain. American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 83,
606-612
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