Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Weight Loss

Nowadays, obesity is one of the most common health concern faced by many people all across the world. Apart from hampering your appearance and self-confidence, obesity is also a root cause of numerous health problems, including heart attack, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, etc. Hence, most of us in quest of losing weight fast, look out for different techniques that can help lose weight in an effective and healthy way. However, we all at some point or the other must have tried different weight loss diets and exercise regimes which are helpful in losing weight but call for lots of dedication and hard work. Hence, today one of the most talked about method for quick weight loss that demands no strict diet or strenuous exercise is conjugated linoleic acid. But what is CLA and how conjugated linoleic acid and weight loss are related to each other, let us try to understand in the coming sections.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid

CLA is a naturally occurring fatty acid which is produced in the human intestine. This form of fatty acid is commonly found in the animal and dairy products like meat, milk, egg, cheese, poultry, etc. Research shows that one of the probable reasons for obesity and weight gain problems in people is absence or insufficient amounts of CLA in their diet. It is believed that CLA is quite effective in making people lose weight and gain muscle mass. Moreover, this fatty acid is also beneficial in reducing risks of different types of cancers like breast, prostate, lung, stomach, etc. by inhibiting cell proliferation.

Also CLA supplements improve the immune system by increasing the body tolerance to glucose, and moderately reducing the blood glucose level and triglyceride levels, hence, minimizing the chances of diabetes. But whether CLA is effective in humans for losing weight is still a debatable issue as some studies support this point while others don't.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Weight Loss

According to some studies, CLA supplements benefit people who want to lose weight without making them change their diet. CLA supplements focus more on reducing the body fat by increasing the body's metabolism. The supplements work by increasing the lean muscle mass which increase the body's fat burning process and help tone the body, as more the muscle mass, more the body burns calorie or stored fat. Basically CLA interferes with the functioning of lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme that stores fat in the body, and keeps the small fat cells from enlarging, which makes the body use more stored fat and burn more calories. In fact, some practitioners have also reported significant weight loss in the abdominal and face regions.

However, studies show that instead of consuming CLA weight loss supplements or pills it is better to look out for natural ways of increasing CLA concentration in the body for weight loss. Eating a balanced diet comprising dairy products like cheddar, cottage cheese, mozzarella, butter, whole milk, and yogurt can help increase the CLA content in the body in a natural way. But remember to have only a few serving of dairy products per day else instead of losing weight you may end up gaining more weight. Another natural and safe way to obtain more CLA in the diet is by using safflower oil which is rich in monounsaturated fats that helps in easy digestion of foods and enhances the body's metabolic rate.

Though whether you choose CLA weight loss supplements or other natural ways of increasing CLA concentrations in the body, remember that CLA is not a magic pill that will work overnight and help you to shed those extra kilos. Whichever way you choose, make sure you don't overdo it as excessive of anything is bad for health and the same is applicable for conjugated linoleic acid. On an average, the recommended dosage of conjugated linoleic acid for weight loss is 3.4 g or 3400 mg per day, hence try not to exceed this limit.