Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), is a naturally occurring free fatty acid found mainly in meat and dairy products, in small amounts. CLA is a trans fatty acid. Some researchers claim that unlike other trans fatty acids, it is not harmful, but beneficial.

CLA is research proven to build muscle, reduce body fat, and induce an optimum cellular environment for improved health. It also appears to enhance the immune system.

CLA has been shown to prevent heart disease and several types of cancer. Most anti-cancer agents block only one of three stages. In animal studies, very small amounts of CLA have blocked all three stages of cancer: 1) initiation, 2) promotion, and 3) metastasis. CLA has also slowed the growth of tumors, including cancers of the skin, breast, prostate, and colon.

CLA may be the most significant bodybuilding nutrient discovered in this decade. It is a nutrient that functions to regulate energy retention and metabolism. CLA can best be described as a Growth Factor.

CLA has been shown in animal studies to increase growth rate through increased feed efficiency. Animals that had their diets supplemented with CLA increased their body protein (muscle tissue) while at the same time, had a significant decrease in body fat. This all occurred in the CLA supplemented animals while their food intake was decreased. Their lean mass increased even though they were eating less! This indicates that CLA increases feed efficiency and also points to a potent nutrient repartitioning effect.

To the athlete looking to add more muscle and drop body fat, CLA is a unique discovery that will make accomplishing this feat easier and faster, all the while having positive effects on immune function and antioxidant status.

Major news for people who are overweight is that the natural dietary supplement CLA reduces body fat.

It is a popular dietary supplement that is sold with claims of helping people lose fat, maintain weight loss, retain lean muscle mass, and control type 2 diabetes - the type of diabetes that is often associated with obesity.

The mechanism(s) by which CLA decreases body fat mass and increases lean muscle mass is not completely understood. CLA is known to accumulate in tissues where it is readily metabolized. CLA may trigger fat cell death, shrink fat cells, or it may speed up metabolism to promote weight loss.

Studies of CLA in human diets show that it tends to reduce body fat, particularly abdominal fat, improves serum lipid profiles, decreases whole-body glucose uptake and preserves muscle tissue.

An average reduction of six pounds of body fat was found in the group that took CLA, compared to a placebo group who even gain some weight meantime.

The maximum reduction in body fat was achieved with a daily dose of 3.4g. Doubling the dose to 6.8 grams per day did not cause any more weight loss.

The effect is greatest in those with highest body mass index (25 to 30 BMI). A BMI - an indicator of body fat - over 25 has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and other medical problems, such as diabetes.

Pariza's research did not find weight loss in his group, but what he did find was that when the dieters stopped dieting, and gained back weight, those taking CLA "were more likely to gain muscle and not fat." CLA doesn't make a big fat cell get little. What it rather does is keep a little fat cell from getting big.

Studies have found that (with no change in lifestyle, exercise or eating habits):
* CLA helps you burn fat (even during sleep)
* CLA helps you lose some weight
* CLA also prevents holiday weight gain
* CLA improves muscle mass

CLA has been the subject of a variety of research in the past several years, and findings also suggest that some of the other benefits of CLA include the following:
* Increases metabolic rate - This would obviously be a positive benefit for thyroid patients, as hypothyroidism - even when treated - can reduce the metabolic rate in some people.
* Decreases abdominal fat - Adrenal imbalances and hormonal shifts that are common in thyroid patients frequently cause rapid accumulation of abdominal fat, so this benefit could be quite helpful.
* Enhances muscle growth - Muscle burns fat, which also contributes to increased metabolism, which is useful in weight loss and management.
* Lowers cholesterol and triglycerides - Since many thyroid patients have elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, even with treatment, this benefit can have an impact on a thyroid patient's health.
* Lowers insulin resistance - Insulin resistance is a risk for some hypothyroid patients, and lowering it can also help prevent adult-onset diabetes and make it easier to control weight.
* Reduces food-induced allergic reactions - Since food allergies can be at play when weight loss becomes difficult, this can be of help to thyroid patients.
* Enhances immune system - Since most cases of thyroid disease are autoimmune in nature, enhancing the immune system's ability to function properly is a positive benefit.

CLA occurs naturally in foods such as milk, cheese, beef, and lamb as well as many processed foods. Meat and dairy products of grass-fed animals are good sources of natural CLA, and contain much more of it than those from grain-fed animals. Research shows that grazing animals have from 3-5 times (300-500%) more CLA than animals fattened on grain in a feedlot. CLA is highest in products from grazing animals on a diet of fresh pasture, and it is very low in non-ruminants such as chickens and pigs. But turkeys appear to be an exception, having about 2.5 mg of CLA per gram of fat. Eggs are also rich in CLA, and it has been shown that CLA in eggs survives the temperatures encountered during frying.

All cheese is rich in CLA, however, some types of cheese have more CLA than others. The way that cheese is made influences its CLA content, also the cheese making process itself can increase or decrease this amount. In general, the longer cheese is aged, the lower the CLA. The highest amounts of CLA were found in soft cheeses aged approximately three months. Thus, hard cheeses such as Parmesan and Romano tend to have less CLA than softer cheeses such as cream cheese, cottage cheese, feta, farmer's cheese, ricotta, and Brie. In addition, cheese that is aged through "bacterial surface ripening" (Brick and Muenster) has more CLA than cheese that does not go through this process. Finally, a serving of high-fat cheese will have more CLA than a similar serving of low-fat cheese. Dr. Gerhard Jahreis reports that horses have the lowest CLA content and sheep the highest.

Concentrations of CLA in Foods in milligrams per gram of fat:
Meat: Fresh ground beef (4.3), Veal (2.7), Lamb (5.6), Pork (0.6), Chicken (0.9), Fresh ground turkey (2.5)
Cheese: Parmesan (3.0), Colby (6.1), Mozarella (4.9), Cottage (4.5), Ricotta (5.6)
Dairy product: Homogenized milk (5.5), Butter (4.7), Sour cream (4.6), Plain yogurt (4.8)
Vegetable oil: Safflower (0.7), Sunflower (0.4), Peanut (0.2), Olive (0.2)

But getting enough CLA that will help you lose weight, would require considerable intake of these types of foods. Through advanced lipid technology, a CLA synthesizing process allows for precision intake through premeasured softgel capsules. This allows for precise CLA intake at determined time intervals without the high calorie food consumption. CLA comes in varying concentrations. CLA is typically found in capsules or softgels between potencies between 600mg and 1000mg. So be sure, to check the % of CLA a product contains, to get the right dose.

For some reason, consumers tend to take nutritional supplements, herbs, vitamins and minerals like they were drugs: one pill a day. That's typically far less than what's needed, depending on the supplement. CLA is a food, not a drug. People should be eating it like food.

CLA is a supplement, and does not require a prescription. It is available at health food stores, and at online outlets. It is nontoxic and safe at recommended dosages.

Please note that you should not think that CLA alone will help you lose weight. CLA may speed weight loss, but you still need to be on a balanced, reduced-calorie diet, and have to incorporate regular exercise, and weight bearing activities, into your life.

In any case, CLA is certainly effective in helping people lose weight, but once again its effects pale in comparison to daily exercise, strength training, and a balanced, reduced-calorie diet. If you decide to take CLA, don't make the common mistake of thinking it alone will help you lose weight. You still have to incorporate regular exercise, and weight bearing activities, into your life to achieve your health and fitness goals.

As for the weight loss: any weight loss is better than no weight loss - and with CLA - at least you won't gain weight!