CLA (conjugated linoleic acid)

Precautions

Two safety signals to be aware of before taking it. In obese men, 3 months of the c9,t11 isomer at 3 g per day reduced insulin sensitivity by 15 % and increased lipid peroxidation. In type 2 diabetic patients, 3 g per day for 8 weeks increased fasting blood glucose and reduced insulin sensitivity — the authors concluding that a nutrient aimed at therapeutic use should not cause such effects on other disease markers. A systematic review also notes a drop in HDL cholesterol and an increase in lipoprotein(a). One month at 4.2 g per day was enough to elevate lipid peroxidation in men with abdominal obesity, returning to normal two weeks after discontinuation. Medical advice is essential in cases of diabetes or lipid disorders. Constipation, diarrhoea and loose stools are reported in trials. Also worth noting: results clearly contradict each other, and negative trials are numerous. Eight weeks in overweight and hyperlipidaemic men: nothing, neither on body composition nor on lipids. One year at 3.4 g per day after a diet: weight regain is not prevented. Twenty-eight days at 6 g in already trained athletes: neither body composition, strength, nor bone density. Sixty-four days in healthy women: neither body composition nor energy expenditure. A 2006 systematic review considers the evidence insufficient to claim that CLA acts on weight. And a 2004 review makes the diagnosis that summarises the profile page: the effect in humans is much lower than expected based on mouse studies.