THE FAT LOSS POTENTIAL OF CLA
By Bob Myhal
CLA is an oil found naturally in foods like dairy products, beef, and poultry.
CLA occurs only in relatively small amounts in these foods and is accompanied by larger amounts of unwanted fats. So to get an effective amount of CLA, you’d need to eat pounds and pounds of beef taking in literally hundreds of grams of fat along with it. Not a good idea.
Supplementing with CLA is the only realistic way to take advantage of this highly underrated fatty acid.
The list of potential bodybuilding and general health benefits from supplementing with CLA is impressive. There’s research to support that CLA may help:
* Reduce muscle tissue breakdown
* Enhance muscle development
* Regulate fat metabolism
* Reduce overall body fat
* Increase ratio of lean body tissue to fat
* Promote positive nitrogen balance
* Protect against heart disease;
* Raise "good" cholesterol (HDL) levels
* Enhance immune function
* Protect against some forms of cancer.
Most people supplementing with CLA report that they are leaner, stronger, and more fit.
For best results, you’ll want to make CLA a daily part of your supplement program.
There are no known side-effects associated with CLA supplementation, so there’s no need to cycle or otherwise alter CLA intake.
While you do get some CLA from the food you eat (0.5-1.0 grams or so), to bring this up to optimum levels, I recommend using an additional 2-5 grams of supplemental CLA per day.
For women under 125 lbs., go with 2 grams per day; women over 125 lbs. go with 3 grams.
Men up to about 210 lbs. can go with 4 grams per day; men over 210 should go up to 5 grams per day.