Complete Guide To CLA Supplements For Weight Loss

CLA supplements have the potential to boost weight loss and aid in that lean muscle growth for all your desired body composition needs.

Many supplements exist to aid in weight loss and muscle growth, but CLA is one that is often overlooked. Although this is a highly debated supplement, for some say it works and others do not, knowing the ins and outs of CLA can allow you to make the choice for yourself. Weight loss doesn’t have to be impossible, especially when the right supplement is paired with a solid training routine and healthy diet. CLA is considered to be a supplement to support your weight loss and muscle retention needs and may be the right choice for you.

Let’s jump right into CLA supplements and see what these are all about. This complete guide will hopefully give you a better idea of what can be a safe and effective supplement to take to maximize all your gains. With so many supplements out there, knowing all your options is great for allowing you the best chance at the results you want most.

What Are CLA Supplements?

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a heavily promoted fat burning supplement that can aid in weight loss, increased fat burning, and appetite suppression. It is the most common omega-6 fatty acid and is found in large amounts of vegetable oil predominantly, but also meat and dairy. A common misconception is that this is lumped in with other trans fats.

While this is a trans fat, it differs greatly from the other trans fats known to cause harm to your health. It is natural and is often touted as a great weight loss aid and performance enhancing supplement great for boosting your overall health and performance (1). Common foods CLA can be found in are butter, yogurt, cottage and cheddar cheese, beef, and lamb, among others. Clean, effective, and bioavailable, this supplement can work wonders for your health.

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Check out our list of the Best CLA Supplements for great weight loss and lean muscle retention products!

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Benefits Of CLA

CLA has great benefits to training and performance, as well as health and wellness and is considered to be a very helpful supplement by many. Knowing the benefits surrounding this supplement can prove most effective as you seek the best for your overall health and wellness. While this supplement is debated as to the effectiveness of it, it’s important to do your research so you are comfortable with taking it.

Benefits of CLA include:

• Aid in weight loss and fat burn: CLA works to suppress your appetite and increase energy expenditure, using stored fat for energy, thus aiding in fat loss (2,3). It can increase fat burning for that vital boost and inhibit fat production to keep that lean physique looking toned and sculpted.
• Helps keep lean muscle on: By working to shed fat and retain that lean muscle, you can keep that hard earned muscle for a desired aesthetic (4) and not sacrifice all your gains.
• Pure and bioavailable: Made with pure ingredients, your body can react positively to CLA, especially with a totally clean product. It can also be absorbed into your body efficiently so all those nutrients hit you.
• Natural supplement: Made with natural ingredients, these supplements typically do not contain natural or artificial stimulants to ruin a great product.

Safety & Effectiveness

CLA is a safe supplement to take, but it is always best to read the label and research the brand to ensure the utmost transparency of the product. Some side effects of taking too much include digestive problems, nausea, constipation, stomach pain, and indigestion, but to avoid these, it is best to always read the label and talk with a medical expert if you have questions or concerns.

CLA is a highly debated supplement and some have found that it didn’t change their body fat mass or physical performance all that much. On the other hand, some have said it supports fat loss and the fat burning effects of exercise, so it has clearly worked for some. Looking at each respective supplement and choosing the best option will ensure the most success (5), as well as making sure you pair your lifestyle with a healthy diet and proper workout routine.

Best Time To Take CLA

When looking at the best time to take CLA, it is important to read the label on each respective product so you know exactly what you are getting. To optimize results, taking CLA around 30 minutes before your meal is ideal and along with a healthy diet, can really give a great boost to your overall health and performance. Of course, this should be coupled with regular workouts to maximize the effects.

Featured CLA Supplement

Finding the right CLA supplement can be hard but it is possible. Knowing what to look for and which brands are reputable is the first step in giving you exactly what you need to see the results you want out of a safe and effective CLA supplement. With so many out there, a little help goes a long way when sorting through all the nonsense and finding only high-quality products.

Sports Research CLA 1250

Sports Research CLA 1250 is a great CLA supplement designed for weight management support for men and women. Standardized to 95% CLA and sourced from non-GMO safflowers, this supplement is perfect for those athletes always active and on the go. Gluten and soy free, while also having no artificial colors or flavors, this product is third party tested to ensure the utmost accuracy and quality of a top tier CLA for men.

Price: $22.95

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Check out our list of the Best CLA Supplements for great weight loss and lean muscle retention products!

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Wrap Up

CLA is a great supplement for those looking to a safe, effective, and natural approach to weight loss and lean muscle retention. Although a highly debated supplement, for some, this did work wonders for their goals as they sought the best for their weight loss results. Finding the right supplement may take time, but it is absolutely possible and with the right guidance, you are well on your way to putting only the best on your shelf. This complete guide can help clear up your CLA questions so you can start seeing the results you want most today.

Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

*Images courtesy of Envato

References

1. Lehnen, Tatiana E.; da Silva, Marcondes R.; Camacho, Augusto; Marcadenti, Aline; et al. (2015). “A review on effects of conjugated linoleic fatty acid (CLA) upon body composition and energetic metabolism”. (source)
2. Gaullier, Jean-Michel; Halse, Johan; Hooye, Kjetil; Kristiansen, Knut; et al. (2004). “Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation for 1 y reduces body fat mass in healthy overweight humans”. (source)
3. Thom, E.; Wadstein, J.; Gudmundsen, O. (2001). “Conjugated linoleic acid reduces body fat in healthy exercising humans”. (source)
4. Kim, Yoo; Kim, Jonggun; Whang, Kwang-Youn; Park, Yeonhwa (2016). “Impact of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) on Skeletal Muscle Metabolism”. (source)
5. Benjamin, Sailas; Prakasan, Priji; Sreedharan, Sajith; Wright, Andre-Denis G.; et al. (2015). “Pros and cons of CLA consumption: an insight from clinical evidences”. (source)