What is
CLA? or What is Conjugated
Linoleic Acid?
CLA or
Conjugated Linoleic Acid, is a naturally occurring nutrient that is
found in a wide variety of foods like beef, turkey and some dairy
products. There exists evidence that using CLA can lead to increases
in lean body mass and a decrease in body fat. Powerhouse Supplements only provides top
quality articles and supplements.
Why should I use
CLA?
CLA has been
widely studies for several years now. In past studies CLA was shown to
be an anti-carcinogen, was shown to reduce the adverse effects induced
by immune stimulation, was shown to enhance growth and improve blood
lipid profiles. In more recent studies, scientists have examined CLA's
effects on fat metabolism and lean muscle gain in laboratory animals
and have discovered some very promising results. These results have
shown that taking CLA in small dosages has been sufficient to show a
positive effect on fat loss and lean mass gain, thus athletes could
benefit from CLA supplementation to enhance muscle gains and decrease
bodyfat.
What research has
been done on CLA?
There have been
a number of university animal studies using CLA and demonstrating its
effectiveness. One such study using laboratory animals showed that
after 6 weeks of supplementation, the CLA fed group had a bodyfat
percentage of 4.3 versus the control group which had a bodyfat
percentage of 10.1. Another study, that looked at lean mass growth
instead of fat loss, showed that the animals that were fed CLA in
their diets, gained more bodyweight than the control group. There are
university studies in the works to determine CLA's effectiveness on
humans.
What doses of CLA
should be taken?
There are no
definitive studies showing what doses of CLA are most effective.
However, many scientists believe that taking 3-6gm per day is
sufficient to exert the potentially helpful effects of CLA.
What side effects
are caused by CLA?
CLA has thus
far been shown to be extremely safe and effective. No known side
effects have been reported.