What Is Conjugated Linoleic Acid Used For?

Conjugated linoleic acid, also known as CLA, is a healthy fatty acid that provides numerous benefits that enhance overall health. It not only boosts fat loss but also has cancer fighting properties. Since the body cannot make CLA, it must be obtained through supplementation or by consuming high-fat dairy products and meats.

Colorectal Cancer

Researchers investigated the effects of high-fat dairy foods rich in CLA on the incidence of colorectal cancer. In a study reported in the October 2005 issue of the American Journal of Nutrition, scientists conducted a 15-year follow-up on 60,708 women who participated in the Swedish Mammography Cohort. During the follow-up, 798 incident cases were discovered. Researchers documented that subjects consuming four or more servings of high-fat dairy foods had lowered their risk for colorectal cancer compared to those ingesting one or fewer servings.

Bone Mineral Density

CLA might have positive effects on preventing osteoporosis, a condition that results in decreased bone density. Subjects ingested either CLA or a placebo containing corn oil for 10 weeks and then were measured for bone mineral density. Researchers found that the CLA group had higher bone mineral density than the placebo group, according to a study reported in the July 2007 issue of the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.

Fat Loss

CLA may also help the war against obesity, according to the August 2006 issue of the International Journal of Obesity. Researchers analyzed the effects of CLA supplementation on overweight subjects for six months. Subjects’ body weight was measured during the following months: pre-holiday season (August through October); holiday season (November and December); and post holiday season (January through March). Scientists found that the placebo group gained more weight during the holiday season compared to the CLA group. Furthermore, after six months, the CLA group had significantly greater reductions in body fat than the placebo group.

Type 2 Diabetes

According to the January 2003 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, CLA has been shown to delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. In addition, researchers found that CLA isomers, which are compounds that have similar structural formulas to CLA, are responsible for decreasing body weight in type 2 diabetics. Losing weight aids in the management of type 2 diabetes by positively influencing glucose metabolism.

Breast Cancer

Besides boosting fat loss and delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes, CLA may have anti-carcinogenic properties. Researchers studied the impact of CLA as an anti-cancer agent in breast cancer cells. They found that CLA reduces the risk for breast cancer by inhibiting breast cancer cell growth, according to the March 2004 issue of the Journal of Nutrition.