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CLA for Weight Loss?
The researchers looked from pig to man, and man to pig, but...
The 10almonds Team
April 14, 2023
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⏰ IN A RUSH?
Today’s 30-Second Summary
If you don’t have time to read the whole email today, here are our key takeaways:
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is a non-essential fatty acid that produces considerable fat loss results in experiments with a wide array of non-human animals… but does not give the same benefits humans.
In experiments with humans, CLA tends to give results comparable to placebo. Occasionally marginally better, but so marginal, especially in long-term studies, that any benefit has been found “not clinically meaningful”.
A better path to weight loss, scientifically, is in the use of self-monitoring behaviors and tracking tools (we have a recommedation below)
Read on to learn about these things and more…
👀 WATCH AND LEARN
Chocolate, Healthier, Packed With Nutrients!
This short (3:21) video will have you heading to the kitchen…
Prefer text? Click here for the full recipe!
💊 MAIN FEATURE
Conjugated Linoleic Acid for Weight Loss?
You asked us to evaluate the use of CLA for weight loss, so that’s today’s main feature!
First, what is CLA?
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is a fatty acid made by grazing animals. Humans don’t make it ourselves, and it’s not an essential nutrient.
Nevertheless, it’s a popular supplement, mostly sold as a fat-burning helper, and thus enjoyed by slimmers and bodybuilders alike.
❝CLA reduces bodyfat❞—True or False?
True! Contingently. Specifically, it will definitely clearly help in some cases. For example:
This study found it doubled fat loss in chickens
It significantly increased delipidation of white adipose tissue in these mice
The mice in this study enjoyed a 43–88% reduction in (fatty) weight gain
Over the course of a six-week weight-loss program, these mice got 70% more weight loss on CLA, compared to placebo
In this study, pigs that took CLA on a high-calorie diet gained 50% less weight than those not taking CLA
On a heart-unhealthy diet, these hamsters taking CLA gained much less white adipose tissue than their comrades not taking CLA
Another study with pigs found that again, CLA supplementation resulted in much less weight gained
These hamsters being fed a high-cholesterol diet found that those taking CLA ended up with a leaner body mass than those not taking CLA
This study with mice found that CLA supplementation promoted fat loss and lean muscle gain
Did you notice a theme? It’s Animal Farm out there!
❝CLA reduces bodyfat in humans❞—True or False?
False—practically. Technically it appears to give non-significantly better results than placebo.
A comprehensive meta-analysis of 18 different studies (in which CLA was provided to humans in randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trials and in which body composition was assessed by using a validated technique) found that, on average, human CLA-takers lost…
Drumroll please…
00.00–00.05 kg per week. That’s between 0–50g per week. That’s less than two ounces. Put it this way: if you were to quickly drink an espresso before stepping on the scale, the weight of your very tiny coffee would cover your fat loss.
The reviewers concluded:
❝CLA produces a modest loss in body fat in humans❞
Modest indeed!
See for yourself: Efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid for reducing fat mass: a meta-analysis in humans
But what about long-term? Well, as it happens (and as did show up in the non-human animal studies too, by the way) CLA works best for the first four weeks or so, and then effects taper off.
Another review of longer-term randomized clinical trials (in humans) found that over the course of a year, CLA-takers enjoyed on average a 1.33kg total weight loss benefit over placebo—so that’s the equivalent of about 25g (0.8 oz) per week. We’re talking less than a shot glass now.
They concluded:
❝The evidence from RCTs does not convincingly show that CLA intake generates any clinically relevant effects on body composition on the long term❞
A couple of other studies we’ll quickly mention before closing this section:
What does work?
You may remember this headline from our “What’s happening in the health world” section a few days ago:
On which note, we’ve mentioned before, we’ll mention again, and maybe one of these days we’ll do a main feature on it, there’s a psychology-based app/service “Noom” that’s very personalizable and helps you reach your own health goals, whatever they might be, in a manner consistent with any lifestyle considerations you might want to give it.
Curious to give it a go? Check it out at Noom.com (you can get the app there too, if you want)
🌍 AROUND THE WEB
What’s happening in the health world…
More to come tomorrow!
📖 ONE-MINUTE BOOK REVIEW
Owning Your Weight - by Henri Marcoux
Many diet books—of which this is not one—presuppose that the reader wants to lose weight, and encourage and/or shame the reader into trying to do so. Henri Marcoux takes a completely different approach:
He starts by assuming we are the weight we want to be, and looks at the various physical and psychological factors that influence us to such. That "weight we want to be" could be conscious or subconscious! Sometimes we neglect or sabotage ourselves for some reason that we need to root out. Marcoux offers exploratory questions to help us examine this possibility.
There may be other factors at hand too!
Ranging from food poverty to eating our feelings to social factors and more, he bids us examine our relationship with food and eating. Not just in the sense of mindful eating, but from multiple scientific angles too.
By combinations of questions and suggestions, Marcoux offers us the tools to ensure that our relationship with food and eating is what we want it to be... for us, as individuals.
Bottom line: if you want to gain or lose weight, there’s a very good chance this book will help you. If you want to be happier and healthier at the weight you are, there’s a very good chance this book will help you with that, too.
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May you head safely and surely towards your goals,
The 10almonds Team