Tag: fat loss

Does CLA work fat and muscle

Does Conjugated Linoleic Acid work? Is CLA supplementation worth considering?

Posted DylanPosted in Supplementation

Some studies have helped answer the question, does CLA work? Its effects have been measured by looking at either fat loss or weight loss. Fat loss is likely the most helpful measurement to answer does CLA work? Like many supplyements and drugs CLA has been studied in both rodents and humans. Rodent studies have shown that CLA consumption can cause apoptosis (cell death) in this case the death of fat cells within 5 days of its consumption. One study found that while body weight didn’t decrease in rodents the amount of fat did decrease. In 2007 a large meta analysis (a study of putting many studies together, 18 in this case to be exact) was conducted. This meta analysis looked specifically at the best studies available on the supplement. They only included human studies that were randomized, double-blinded, and placebo controlled. On top of using the truly gold standard (randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled) methods for research they also used validated tools for testing body composition. The average dose of CLA was 3.2g per day. Some studies have looked at higher doses but they did not find any greater effect. They found that on average those taking CLA lost 0.024kg (0.05lbs) more fat than those taking placebo per week. The supplement usually continued to help the most over 6 months and then had plateaued by two years. Although the math likely isn’t that simple given changing weight and metabolism this may account for around 6 lbs of fat loss over a 2 year period. Rather mild it may seem unless you think of what 6 lbs of fat actually looks at, check out the picture. The picture of the yellow substance (fat) shows 5 pounds of fat compared to 5 lbs of muscle. So you can see losing 5lbs of fat isn’t a trivial accomplishment. Of course CLA isn’t the end all be all of fat loss . Diet and exercise are the mainstay of fat reduction. I am reluctant to say this but the fat loss was observed even without diet and exercise particularly in those who were healthy but overweight. Overall, CLA may help you if you are looking to change your body composition by losing fat. It is important to note that many of the studies do not show weight loss from CLA but rather a change in the percentage of fat and muscle in the body so don’t expect to see changes on the scale. Below is a link to a CLA product from a company called BulkSupplements which has show time and time again by third party testers to be accurately labeled and pure.

 

 

Sources for does CLA work:

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), Body Fat, and Apoptosis

Efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid for reducing fat mass: a meta-analysis in humans

Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation for 1 y reduces body fat mass in healthy overweight humans

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Reduces Body Fat Mass in Overweight and Obese Humans

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Reduces Body Fat in Healthy Exercising Humans

targeted fat loss

The myth of targeted fat loss. Can you really just lose belly fat?

Posted JacobPosted in Exercise

So many people want to lose weight and the first thing they normally want to get rid of is their stomach fat. There’s nothing more motivating than picturing yourself with a rock hard six pack. The idea of targeting a specific area of the body for fat loss is also referred to as is localized fat reduction or spot reduction. These methods are simply ineffective and the practice of targeted fat loss does not work. There are several studies supporting this. One study tested targeted fat loss in 14 men and 10 women. The participants completed ab exercises 5 days per week. The exercises consisted of 7 different abdominal movements and each exercise was performed for 2 sets of 10 reps. After doing this for 6 weeks they found that it had no effect on spot reduction of fat on their core. A similar 27 day study also focused on abdominal exercises for belly fat reduction. The results were the same and showed that spot reduction of fat was not seen in the participants in the study. The research on this topic goes beyond exercises of just the abdominal muscles. Another study looked at 104 subjects who performed resistance training in their non-dominant. At the end of a 12 week period they found that targeted fat loss did not occur in the non-dominant arm. These are just a few of the studies which display how focusing on a single body part to lose fat is not the right way to go about it. Truth is you lose fat in a generalized way throughout your body. You may notice that you lose or gain fat in some places first when dieting or falling off your diet.  This isn’t to say you shouldn’t train abs. There is no doubt that core strength is important within an overall fitness routine but sit ups will not help you lose stomach fat and get the six pack you want. The best way to chisel away fat is by sticking with a diet built for your personal goals and keeping up with a workout routine. If want to read an article on how to get started with weight loss check out our article on that topic.

Sources on targeted fat loss:

Effects of Sit up Exercise Training on Adipose Cell Size and Adiposity

Subcutaneous fat alterations resulting from an upper-body resistance training program.

The effect of abdominal exercise on abdominal fat.