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CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) is a naturally occurring nutrient
which scientists have discovered exerts a positive effect on protein
and fat metabolism.
- Accelerate Fat Lose
- Powerful Antioxidant Protection
Controlled scientific studies have shown that supplementing with
CLA may favorably affect body composition. Scientists hypothesize that
CLA, possibly acting to enhance metabolic activity at the cellular membrane
level, may allow those who supplement with CLA, exercise, and follow a
healthy lifestyle to lose fat and gain muscle definition faster. EAS introduced
CLA to the supplement market in 1996 and was the first company to fund
human clinical studies involving this patented dietary supplement.
Questions and Answers
Is CLA a supplement I can use when I'm trying to reduce
my bodyfat? Isn't it a fat?
Actually, CLA is a naturally occurring fatty acid found in a number of foods.
(Fatty acids are the molecules that make up a fat.) And contrary to popular
belief, not all fats are "bad," in fact, some are downright magical! Studies
show that CLA may indeed be an effective supplement for supporting fat loss
and increases in lean body mass. Research suggests CLA can do this by altering
the way the body uses and stores energy.
What exactly is CLA?
CLA stands for conjugated linoleic acid. It's a naturally occurring fatty acid
in a number of foods. It was originally isolated in cooked ground beef, believe
it or not, about ten years ago. Fatty acids are the molecules that make up
a fat, in sort of the same way amino acids are the molecules that make up
a protein. Examples of other fatty acids include linoleic acid and linolenic
acid.
What exactly does conjugated mean?
Well, it simply means the molecule has what's known as two double carbon bonds,
separated by one single bond. You chemists out there will understand that
perfectly, but for those of you who are experts in some other field, suffice
it to say that those conjugated double bonds give it properties very different
from regular linoleic acid (the kind found in flax oil or borage oil). CLA
is not a drug. In fact, it's found in relatively large quantities in some
foods like dairy products, beef and veal, and even turkey. The average person
probably gets up to one gram a day just by eating regular foods. The trouble
is, you'd probably have to eat more meat or more cheese than you ever dreamed
of to get enough CLA to see any beneficial effects. For instance, cheeses
have an average of between 2.9 mg and 7.1 mg of CLA per gram of fat. You'd
have to eat cheese on the order of several pounds a day to get anywhere near
the four-gram dosage that appears to be beneficial to humans. It makes more
sense to consume CLA supplements that contain a high concentration of this
unique fatty acid.
How could fat help you build muscle?
For many years, performance nutrition experts pretty much dismissed fats, thinking
they didn't have any useful role in nutrition. Instead, we focused on the
protein-sparing and energy-producing effects of carbohydrates, and we intensively
studied how amino acids and various proteins might affect nitrogen retention,
anabolism, and catabolism. Our "inquiring minds" were probably influenced
by the mass media's "all-fat-is-bad" campaign. But now the scales are tipping
in the other direction. Nutritional geniuses like Dr. Barry Sears (author
of The Zone) have shown us how fatty acids are not only essential for proper
health but also how the proper use of such compounds may have numerous positive
effects. Dr. Sears is certain fatty acids directly influence the body's growth-promoting
hormones.
Other sports nutrition experts believe that fats may not only be essential
to muscle growth but may actually promote it. Some support for this theory
can be found when observing athletes on extremely low-fat nutritional plans
(less than 10% of total calories). Following an increase of certain fats in
their nutritional programs, they sometimes gain stength and size. It's possible
that these "mystical" effects of fats could be due in part to CLA and other
EFA's.
What does CLA do?
Controlled scientific studies have shown CLA may promote growth in healthy
animals, and it may slow the loss of muscle tissue in catabolic conditions.
If you've been reading any of the fitness magazines over the past couple
of years, you're certainly aware that one of the "hot topics" is anti-catabolism.
Numerous experts believe if you can minimize the effects of catabolic hormones
on muscle tissue, you may cause an increase in total body protein (muscle).
Now, it's important to realize the body has numerous catabolic hormones; the
most well known is cortisol. And, the body has a number of different mechanisms
by which it builds up and breaks down protein; it's not just "black or white." It's
very complicated stuff, much too complicated to discuss it all here. However,
it is possible that CLA has potent anti-catabolic effects, effects that may
not be the same as those of anti-catabolic compounds such as HMB and other
amino-acid-like compounds. It's also possible that using CLA along with other
anti-catabolic supplements might produce a "synergistic" effect that is, by
combining CLA with these other supplements, it may produce results that are
not just additive [1 + 1 = 2] but synergistic (1 + 1 could = 5).
Of course, to answer these questions, more research is needed. So, it's possible
CLA may help promote muscle growth by minimizing catabolism. Another possible "mode
of action" involves the nitrogen-sparing properties of certain fatty acids
in general. It has been scientifically demonstrated that lipid (fat) infusion
may influence the composition of cell membranes, thereby affecting essential
functions like enzyme activities, transport receptors, and regulatory functions.
And, because fitness buffs have typically been taught that too much fat is
bad, it's not unlikely that many may be deficient in essential fatty acids.
Particular fats, however, show unique protein-sparing abilities above and beyond
their normal functions. This is where the "improved feed efficiency" noted
in many CLA experiments might play a part. In other animal experiments, "structured
lipids," or artificially made fats with which CLA shares many traits, have
resulted in higher albumin concentration and nitrogen retention (both associated
with increased muscle growth).
One experiment showed that certain fats related to CLA produced a significant
increase in skeletal muscle protein synthesis rates. CLA, it seems, may very
well possess unique protein-sparing abilities. Another theory as to how CLA
might work relates to Dr. Barry Sears' (author of The Zone) discoveries of
eicosanoids. Dr. Sears has long maintained that the proper consumption of fats
can lead to the production of "good" eicosanoids, which are the cellular hormones
that mediate production of all other hormones, including testosterone and growth
hormone. Although borage oil (which includes gamma linoleic acid, not conjugated
linoleic acid) and flaxseed oil (which includes plain linoleic acid) have their
place, taking too much may lead to the production of arachidonic acid, which,
according to Dr. Sears, can shut down the production of good eicosanoids. CLA,
on the other hand, does not convert to arachidonic acid. In fact, one study
reported reduced arachidonic-acid levels in skeletal muscle of animals given
CLA.
Have there been any studies done on CLA?
CLA has been extensively studied by doctors and scientists. They have repeatedly
shown that supplementing the food intake of animals with CLA may promote
a number of positive effects, faster rates of growth being one of them. Another
possible positive effect they have observed numerous times is that CLA seems
to minimize catabolism. The scientists who have made these discoveries are
so confident that CLA has numerous positive effects that they have patented
the use of CLA for promoting growth, improving feed efficiency, and have
also filed, and received, patents for the use of CLA in preventing muscle
wasting due to high levels of catabolic hormones.
Does CLA cause any side effects?
CLA is a dietary supplement, not a drug. This compound occurs naturally in
a variety of foods, and extensive research on CLA has shown no toxicity nor
any adverse effects. At this time, CLA has no known side effects.
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