supplement question

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Lift_This_
Lift_This_ Posts: 2,756 Member
The owner of the gym i go to was telling me about the CLA supplement some of the girls in her evening classes are taking....are there goods and bads to this supplement? or should i stay away from it?

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  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    To be honest, CLA supplements are a waste of money.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Write up from Aragon, originally posted on bb.com

    I wouldn't waste my money on CLA supps. The study in10city posted was lead by financially-vested authors (this is common with CLA research):

    "Leah D Whigham is coinventor on US Patent no. 6 077 868 (Selective inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2), a CLA-related patent (assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, currently licensed as part of a series of patents by 4 corporations). Dale A Schoeller was a previous recipient of a grant from Cognis Nutrition and Health in support of a human clinical trial of CLA."

    Note that Cognis is the manufacturer of Tonalin.


    When non-vested entities review CLA, the conclusions are not favorable:

    Conjugated linoleic acid intake in humans: a systematic review focusing on its effect on body composition, glucose, and lipid metabolism.

    Salas-Salvad? J, M?rquez-Sandoval F, Bull? M. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2006;46(6):479-88.

    Studies performed on different species show that the consumption of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) leads to a loss of fat and total body weight, reduces the plasma concentrations of total and LDL cholesterol, and has an antiinflammatory effect. This article reviews the clinical trials on human beings that evaluate how mixtures of CLA isomers administered as supplements or CLA-enriched products can affect total body weight, body composition, plasma lipid profile, glycemia, insulinemia, insulin sensitivity, lipid oxidation, and inflammation. After analyzing the few studies published to date in reduced samples of healthy humans or patients with overweight, obesity, metabolic syndrome, or diabetes, we deduce that there is not enough evidence to show that conjugated linoleic acid has an effect on weight and body composition in humans. However, some of these studies have observed that the administration of various CLA isomers has adverse effects on lipid profile (it decreases HDL cholesterol concentration and increases Lp(a) circulating levels), glucose metabolism (glycemia, insulinemia or insulin sensitivity), lipid oxidation, inflammation, or endothelial function. Therefore, long-term randomized clinical trials, controlled with placebo, need to be made in large samples of patients to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CLA isomers before its indiscriminate use in human beings can be recommended.


    The only CLA study done on resistance-trained subjects failed to show any effect:

    Effects of conjugated linoleic acid supplementation during resistance training on body composition, bone density, strength, and selected hematological markers.

    Kreider RB, Ferreira MP, Greenwood M, Wilson M, Almada AL. J Strength Cond Res. 2002 Aug;16(3):325-34.

    Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) are essential fatty acids that have been reported in animal studies to decrease catabolism, promote fat loss, increase bone density, enhance immunity, and serve as an antiatherogenic and anticarcinogenic agent. For this reason, CLA has been marketed as a supplement to promote weight loss and general health. CLA has also been heavily marketed to resistance-trained athletes as a supplement that may help lessen catabolism, decrease body fat, and promote greater gains in strength and muscle mass during training. Although basic research is promising, few studies have examined whether CLA supplementation during training enhances training adaptations and/or affects markers of health. This study evaluated whether CLA supplementation during resistance training affects body composition, strength, and/or general markers of catabolism and immunity. In a double-blind and randomized manner, 23 experienced, resistance-trained subjects were matched according to body mass and training volume and randomly assigned to supplement their diet with 9 g;pdd(-1) of an olive oil placebo or 6 g;pdd(-1) of CLA with 3 g;pdd(-1) of fatty acids for 28 days. Prior to and following supplementation, fasting blood samples, total body mass, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) determined body composition, and isotonic bench press and leg press 1 repetition maximums (1RMs) were determined. Results revealed that although some statistical trends were observed with moderate to large effect sizes, CLA supplementation did not significantly affect (p > 0.05) changes in total body mass, fat-free mass, fat mass, percent body fat, bone mass, strength, serum substrates, or general markers of catabolism and immunity during training. These findings indicate that CLA does not appear to possess significant ergogenic value for experienced resistance-trained athletes.


    CLA has adverse effects on markers of cardiovascular health, without significantly affecting bodycomp:

    Treatment with dietary trans10cis12 conjugated linoleic acid causes isomer-specific insulin resistance in obese men with the metabolic syndrome.

    Diabetes Care. 2002 Sep;25(9):1516-21. Ris?rus U, Arner P, Brismar K, Vessby B.

    OBJECTIVE: Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a group of dietary fatty acids with antiobesity and antidiabetic effects in some animals. The trans10cis12 (t10c12) CLA isomer seems to cause these effects, including improved insulin sensitivity. Whether such isomer-specific effects occur in humans is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether t10c12 CLA or a commercial CLA mixture could improve insulin sensitivity, lipid metabolism, or body composition in obese men with signs of the metabolic syndrome. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind controlled trial, abdominally obese men (n = 60) were treated with 3.4 g/day CLA (isomer mixture), purified t10c12 CLA, or placebo. Euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp, serum hormones, lipids, and anthropometry were assessed before and after 12 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Baseline metabolic status was similar between groups. Unexpectedly, t10c12 CLA increased insulin resistance (19%; P < 0.01) and glycemia (4%; P < 0.001) and reduced HDL cholesterol (-4%; P < 0.01) compared with placebo, whereas body fat, sagittal abdominal diameter, and weight decreased versus baseline, but the difference was not significantly different from placebo. The CLA mixture did not change glucose metabolism, body composition, or weight compared with placebo but lowered HDL cholesterol.(-2%; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results reveal important isomer-specific metabolic actions of CLA in abdominally obese humans. A CLA-induced insulin resistance has previously been described only in lipodystrophic mice. Considering the use of CLA-supplements among obese individuals, it is important to clarify the clinical consequences of these results, but they also provide physiological insights into the role of specific dietary fatty acids as modulators of insulin resistance in humans.


    More on CLA's adverse effects on cardiovascular health parameters, again, without improving bodycomp:

    Effects of cis-9,trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid supplementation on insulin sensitivity, lipid peroxidation, and proinflammatory markers in obese men.

    Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Aug;80(2):279-83. Ris?rus U, Vessby B, Arnl?v J, Basu S.

    BACKGROUND: We recently showed that trans-10,cis-12 (t10,c12) conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) causes insulin resistance in obese men. However, metabolic effects of the c9,t11 CLA isomer are still unknown in obese men. Because c9,t11 CLA is the predominant CLA isomer in foods and is included in dietary weight-loss products, it is important to conduct randomized controlled studies that use c9,t11 CLA preparations. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effects of c9,t11 CLA supplementation on insulin sensitivity, body composition, and lipid peroxidation in a group at high risk for cardiovascular disease. DESIGN: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 25 abdominally obese men received 3 g c9,t11 CLA/d or placebo (olive oil). Before and after 3 mo of supplementation, we assessed insulin sensitivity (hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp), lipid metabolism, body composition, and urinary 8-iso-prostaglandin F(2alpha) (a major F(2)-isoprostane) and 15-keto-dihydro-prostaglandin F(2alpha), markers of in vivo oxidative stress and inflammation, respectively. RESULTS: All subjects completed the study. Compared with placebo, c9,t11 CLA decreased insulin sensitivity by 15% (P < 0.05) and increased 8-iso-prostaglandin F(2alpha) and 15-keto-dihydro-prostaglandin F(2alpha) excretion by 50% (P < 0.01) and 15% (P < 0.05), respectively. The decreased insulin sensitivity was independent of changes in serum lipids, glycemia, body mass index, and body fat but was abolished after adjustment for changes in 8-iso-prostaglandin F(2alpha) concentrations. There were no differences between groups in body composition. CONCLUSIONS: A CLA preparation containing the purified c9,t11 CLA isomer increased insulin resistance and lipid peroxidation compared with placebo in obese men. Because c9,t11 CLA occurs in commercial supplements as well as in the diet, the present results should be confirmed in larger studies that also include women.

    TL;DR

    Don't bother with them
  • Lift_This_
    Lift_This_ Posts: 2,756 Member
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    thank you so much....she basically was telling me how it helps with everything mentioned in your response...im always skeptic when it comes to supplements and things...i try to stay away from things dr oz says are good or things that people may suggest, if said people are not doctors or nutritionists...

    again, thank you.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    thank you so much....she basically was telling me how it helps with everything mentioned in your response...im always skeptic when it comes to supplements and things...i try to stay away from things dr oz says are good or things that people may suggest, if said people are not doctors or nutritionists...

    again, thank you.

    Do they sell them at her gym by any chance?
  • Lift_This_
    Lift_This_ Posts: 2,756 Member
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    thank you so much....she basically was telling me how it helps with everything mentioned in your response...im always skeptic when it comes to supplements and things...i try to stay away from things dr oz says are good or things that people may suggest, if said people are not doctors or nutritionists...

    again, thank you.

    Do they sell them at her gym by any chance?

    no, she would order them from gnc.com or bb.com i think is what she told me....
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    thank you so much....she basically was telling me how it helps with everything mentioned in your response...im always skeptic when it comes to supplements and things...i try to stay away from things dr oz says are good or things that people may suggest, if said people are not doctors or nutritionists...

    again, thank you.

    Do they sell them at her gym by any chance?

    no, she would order them from gnc.com or bb.com i think is what she told me....

    As I am a cynical b!tch, I wonder whether she gets anything out of it or whether its just the usual misinformation that goes around. But..as I say, I am jaded.
  • Lift_This_
    Lift_This_ Posts: 2,756 Member
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    thank you so much....she basically was telling me how it helps with everything mentioned in your response...im always skeptic when it comes to supplements and things...i try to stay away from things dr oz says are good or things that people may suggest, if said people are not doctors or nutritionists...

    again, thank you.

    Do they sell them at her gym by any chance?

    no, she would order them from gnc.com or bb.com i think is what she told me....

    As I am a cynical b!tch, I wonder whether she gets anything out of it or whether its just the usual misinformation that goes around. But..as I say, I am jaded.

    I feel the same way...she was kinda "preaching" it to me...so she probably had read review after review or study after study on it. she is all do you want me to order it? and i was like let me think about it....lol..

    she is a good family friend, but when it comes to supplements and pills, i just stick to my centrum silver multi...lol
  • KBSwinger
    KBSwinger Posts: 160 Member
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    CLA never did anything for me.

    The only things that I only take now are creatine, a multi and some whey isolate. I have experimented with stuff for over a year and nothing really worked except what I have listed.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I think (hope) you have got your answer, and to help us track open/active threads better I will lock this thread. If you want to add anything, please PM either myself or SideSteel, including the link, and we will reopen.
This discussion has been closed.