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Keep the Pounds Off with Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

And protect muscle mass while you are at it!

There is a great quote from renowned scientist Isaac Asimov that goes like this: “The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds the new discoveries, is not ‘Eureka!’ (I found it) but ‘That’s funny ...’ ” Such is the case with the discovery of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

Back in 1979, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison were studying the effects of temperature and time on mutagens in hamburger in hopes of finding optimal cooking conditions to prevent disease associated

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with undercooked ground beef. What they stumbled upon was the fact that something in cooked ground beef had anti-cancer properties.

It took eight more years to identify this compound as conjugated linoleic acid, and in the 20+ years since the University of Wisconsin’s Dr. Michael Pariza’s discovery, so much more has been learned about conjugated linoleic acid. Not the least of which is its power to help decrease body fat and prevent weight gain!

What is conjugated linoleic acid

Conjugated linoleic acid is a naturally-occurring fatty acid found most abundantly in beef and dairy fats. Cows have a special digestive system that turns the grass they eat into linoleic acid and eventually into CLA, which humans then receive by eating beef and dairy foods. Changes during the past few decades in how cattle are raised mean more cows are grain-fed instead of grassfed.

This, combined with the market trend toward low-fat dairy products, has drastically reduced the amount of conjugated linoleic acid humans get through diet. As a result, most of us aren’t receiving the health benefits CLA offers and, because CLA can prevent fat build-up in the body, this may very well be one of the hidden causes of the current obesity epidemic in the United States.

The health benefits of conjugated linoleic acid

While helping to maintain ideal body weight is conjugated linoleic acid’s current claim to fame, other studies have revealed it to be a multi-beneficial health promoter.

As mentioned earlier, CLA has potent anti-cancer properties.1 Studies conducted over the last 20 years have demonstrated that even small amounts of CLA have been shown to slow the growth of a wide variety of tumors, including cancers of the skin,2 breast,3 as well as cancers of the lung, prostate, and colon.4

And while the anti-cancer aspects of CLA are exciting, the majority of these studies have been performed either on animals or human cancer cells in the laboratory. Scientists admit they are a long way from utilizing CLA to prevent or treat cancer.

Other reported health benefits of CLA include the substantial regression of established atherosclerosis, a leading cause of heart disease,5 and the ability to lower cholesterol.6 But again, these studies were not performed on people.

Conjugated linoleic acid helps maintain lean muscle mass and fight sarcopenia

The one area that has seen extensive human clinical trials involving CLA is weight management. There are upwards of 100 studies showing that CLA has a positive affect on those who are looking to reduce body fat and maintain lean muscle mass. As people age, they experience “sarcopenia”, a degenerative loss of muscle mass and strength. And while sarcopenia is a natural process that comes with aging, it can be slowed and even reversed by CLA.

A 2009 meta-analysis published by researchers from University of Wisconsin-Madison, concluded that fat free mass (muscle) increased in people taking conjugated linoleic acid. And, although the increase in fat free mass was very slight, the onset of the increase began very soon after taking the CLA supplements.7

Conjugated linoleic acid reduces body fat mass

As stated before, there is no doubt that conjugated linoleic acid supplementation can prevent weight gain. But researchers have also determined that CLA can decrease body fat mass. It does this in four distinct ways:

1. CLA decreases the amount of fat that is stored after eating
2. CLA increases the rate of fat breakdown in fat cells
3. CLA increases the rate of fat metabolism
4. CLA decreases the total number of fat cells

These four fat fighting mechanisms actually operate in two separate ways. CLA works on the adipocytes (the principle site where fat is stored) and the skeletal muscle cells (the principle site where fat is burned for energy).

Studies have shown that conjugated linoleic acid decreases the activity of lipoprotein lipase (LPL). LPL is the enzyme that transfers triglycerides from the blood into the adipocytes for storage; triglycerides are the form in which most fat exists in food as well as in the body. Simultaneously, CLA also stimulates lipolysis, or the breakdown of stored triglyceride, in the adipocytes.8 CLA has also been shown to increase adipocyte apoptosis. Apoptosis, also called cell suicide, is the disintegration of fat cells. By increasing the rate of apoptosis, CLA is able to decrease the number of existing fat cells.9

Additional studies have demonstrated that carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) activity is increased with conjugated linoleic acid. CPT is the enzyme that transports fatty acids into the mitochondria where they are used to make energy. By increasing the activity of CPT in the skeletal muscles, CLA is able to increase the transport of fat into the mitochondria. This process leads to an increase in the rate of energy production from fat, called beta-oxidation.8

Conjugated linoleic acid fights the yo-yo effect

Many dieters are familiar with yo-yo dieting. That’s where one successfully loses 5, 10, even 25 pounds only to put that weight right back on as soon as they stop dieting. CLA has been shown to break the yo-yo effect.

A 2007 study by researchers at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, concluded that “CLA may be more effective at protecting against fat mass regain following weight loss ...”10

Preventing weight gain in the first place

Probably the most impressive study to come out regarding conjugated linoleic acid and weight gain was published in the March 2007 edition of International Journal of Obesity. That study was entitled: “The role of conjugated linoleic acid in reducing body fat and preventing holiday weight gain.” This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 40 overweight individuals over a six month time period.

In the study, half the people in the study took 3.2 grams of CLA per day and the other half took a placebo. At the end of six months, which included the November/December holiday season, body fat was significantly reduced within the CLA group and body composition improved.

In their conclusion, the researchers wrote, “CLA supplementation among overweight adults significantly reduced body fat over 6 months and prevented weight gain during the holiday season.”11

Is conjugated linoleic acid right for you?

While both the animal and human studies involving CLA’s ability to maintain lean muscle mass and reduce body fat mass are impressive, CLA may not be right for everyone. Most of the human clinical trials that showed a reduction in body fat or the prevention of body fat accumulation also included some form of exercise in conjunction with CLA supplementation.

Conjugated linoleic acid’s safety is not in question. In July 2008, the FDA gave CLA its Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status and a 2007 Japanese study published in the Journal of Oleo Science concluded “CLA at a dose of 3.4 g/day is a safe dietary level...”12

So while conjugated linoleic acid is not a magic bullet for weight loss, it is a safe and viable option for those who are looking to prevent wait gain and maintain lean muscle mass. And if you want to keep the pounds from piling up next holiday season, embarking on a CLA supplementation plan now makes a lot of sense.

Other Articles of Interest
from Smart Publications Health & Wellness Update

References

1. Ip, C., J. A. Scimeca, et al. (1994). "Conjugated linoleic acid. A powerful anticarcinogen from animal fat sources." Cancer 74(3 Suppl): 1050-4.
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2. Belury MA. Inhibition of carcinogenesis by conjugated linoleic acid: potential mechanisms of action. J Nutr. 2002 Oct;132(10):2995-8.
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3. Kelley NS, Hubbard NE, Erickson KL. Conjugated linoleic acid isomers and cancer. J Nutr. 2007 Dec;137(12):2599-607.
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4. De la Torre A, Debiton E, et al. Conjugated linoleic acid isomers and their conjugated derivatives inhibit growth of human cancer cell lines. Anticancer Res. 2005 Nov-Dec;25(6B):3943-9.
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5. Kritchevsky D, Tepper SA, Wright S, Tso P, Czarnecki SK. Influence of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on establishment and progression of atherosclerosis in rabbits. J Am Coll Nutr. 2000 Aug;19(4):472S-477S.
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6. Navarro V, Macarulla M, et. al Effects of trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid on cholesterol metabolism in hypercholesterolaemic hamsters. Eur J Nutr. 2007 May 3;: 17479210.
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7. Schoeler DA, Watras AC, Whigham LD. A meta-analysis of the effects of conjugated linoleic acid on fat-free mass in humans. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2009 Oct;34(5):975-8.
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8. Park, Y., Albright, K.J., Liu, W., Cook, M.E., and Pariza, M.W. Effect of conjugated linoleic acid on body composition in mice. Lipids. 1997; 32, 853-858.
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9. Evans, M. Geigerman, C.,, Cook, J., Curtis, L., Kuebler, B., and McIntosh, M. Conjugated linoleic acid suppresses triglyceride accumulation andinduces apoptosis in 3T3-L1 readipocytes. Lipids. 2000; 35, 899-910.
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10. Park Y, Albright KJ, Storkson Jm, Pariza MW. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) prevents body fat accumulation and weight gain in an animal model. J Food Sci. 2007 Oct;72(8):S612-7.
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11. Watras AC, Buchholz AC, Close RN, Zhang Z, Schoeller DA. The role of conjugated linoleic acid in reducing body fat and preventing holiday weight gain. Int. J Obes. 2007 Mar;31(3):481-7. Epub 2006 Aug 22.
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12. Iwata T, et al. Safety of dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in a 12-weeks trial in healthy overweight Japanese male volunteers. J Oleo Sci. 2007;56(10):517-25.
    Abstract