Trying to lower your body fat percentage as part of a healthy weight management program? Then you know how hard it can be to find an effective supplement to support your diet and exercise efforts. Fortunately, certain science-backed ingredients can specifically target how your body metabolizes and stores fat. One of these ingredients? CLA.
What is CLA and how does it work? More importantly, what scientific evidence is there to verify its safety and effectiveness? In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about this fat-loss ingredient. Plus, show you how to incorporate it into your weight management program.
What Is CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid)?
Conjugated linoleic acid is a naturally occurring fatty acid. It is scientifically shown to support fat metabolism, inhibit cellular fat storage and improve muscle tone.*
CLA is found in very small quantities in foods like dairy and beef. It can also be derived from linoleic acid in seeds. However, not all sources are created equal. Some contain very low levels of CLA or the linoleic acid necessary to derive CLA, and an abundance of other fatty acids and saturated fats that don’t support a healthy fat-to-muscle ratio. This is true of both animal sources and expeller-pressed, plant based linoleic acid.*
In order for CLA to be effective, it needs to undergo a certain enzymatic process that transforms its molecules — beyond what expeller pressing can produce — into a CLA chain free of excess unhealthy fatty acids.
How Does CLA Work to Promote Fat Loss?
Certain chains of CLA molecules have been shown to inhibit fat storage and increase fat cell breakdown through their effect on the enzymes LPL (lipoprotein lipase) and CPT (carnitine palmitoyltransferase).
LPL is responsible for storing fat in adipocytes, or fat cells. CLA can help decrease LPL activity, inhibiting cellular fat storage and helping to promote muscle growth by redirecting fat for use by muscle cells.*
CLA can help increase the activity of CPT, which is essential to the breakdown of fats, thereby allowing your body to break down fats more efficiently.*
CLA may also decrease the number of fat cells in the body through apoptosis, the breakdown of fat cells.*
In summary, some types of CLA help decrease the fat-storing enzyme LPL and can help increase the fat-burning enzyme CPT, which transforms your body by changing your ratio of fat to muscle.
Supplementing with the right kind of conjugated linoleic acid supports a leaner body composition because a pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat, helping you look slimmer, lose inches and drop pant sizes.*
Where Can I Find Science-Backed CLA?
Delivering an innovative, first-in-the-world combination of CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid, plus Liquid BioCell® backed by Collagen/HA Matrix® Technology, Modere Trim delivers CLA in a formula unlike anything you’ve tried before.
Not only do the CLA and collagen micromolecules in Trim work to deliver results including a decrease in body fat, an improvement in muscle tone and youthful looking skin, they’re so effective together that Modere Trim was awarded Best Weight Management Supplement by SupplySide West.*†
The plant based conjugated linoleic acid in Trim isn’t simply pressed. Derived from a non-GMO, high-linoleic-acid safflower strain, it undergoes a unique enzymatic process that delivers a refined and highly concentrated cis-9, trans-11 and trans-12, cis-10 CLA without excess unhealthy fatty acids.
Not only is safflower a sustainable source of the linoleic acid needed to achieve this specific nutraceutical, it can also produce higher levels of CLA per milligram than most other sources.[1] But it’s imperative not to confuse the source — safflower oil — with the end product —CLA. In clinical trials, the results of each ingredient are widely different.*
In Modere Trim, our clinically studied CLA supports a healthy fat-to-muscle ratio as part of a diet and exercise program at the research-recommended dose. Just one tablespoon (15 mL) of Trim daily provides 3.4 grams of CLA, the clinically studied amount necessary for safe and effective fat loss and fat metabolism. Research suggests you would need to take more than double the amount of expeller-pressed safflower oil to achieve similar results.[2] That’s because the enzymatic process that produces our CLA creates an isomer — a molecule shape — that is highly bioavailable. This means it’s efficiently absorbed and your body can readily use it.*
Further, the plant based CLA in Trim meets our company’s exacting ingredient quality and sustainability standards. It’s assessed for 100% nutritional ingredients, formulated by medical professionals, microbiologically tested, non-GMO and never tested on animals. This aligns with our commitment to clean label.
Fat-Loss Results You Can Trust
Across several human clinical trials, people supplementing with CLA showed a reduction in overall body fat, although it didn’t always correlate with a reduction in body weight. Because CLA targets fat loss, rather than weight loss, it’s crucial to track results in inches and before-and-after photos, rather than relying solely on the scale.*
In one human clinical trial, people supplementing with CLA saw a decrease in body fat over the course of 12 weeks when used as part of an exercise program.[3]*
Another study gave participants CLA during the holidays. The results show that CLA prevented weight gain and decreased fat mass.[4]*
Yet another trial studied individuals coming off a reduced-calorie diet. The study found that, while supplementing with CLA didn’t prevent regaining the weight they had lost, it did improve fat-free mass, or lean body bass, and resting metabolic rates.[5]*
Is It Safe to Supplement With CLA?
Modere is committed to using safe and effective ingredients backed by human clinical trials. Unlike expeller-pressed safflower oil or seed oils high in omega-6, which may be linked to an increased inflammatory response, the CLA in Trim is generally regarded as safe for continuous use. It has been studied for its ability to improve the ratio of fat to muscle.*
If you’re new to supplementing with CLA, begin by taking a smaller dose of Trim and working your way up to the recommended daily dose of 1 tablespoon per day. Do not exceed the recommended dose.
As always, we highly recommend consulting with your medical provider before starting a new supplement regimen, especially if you have any current medical conditions.
How Can I See Maximum Results?
Kickstart your body transformation regimen with Modere Lean Body System. In addition to a bottle of your favorite flavor of Modere Trim, it also includes Burn, a scientifically formulated thermogenic that further boosts metabolism and helps curb cravings; and Activate, a 3-day detox with third party-certified organic aloe vera to naturally eliminate toxins and ignite digestive health in conjunction with regular meals.*
Trim begins working from day 1 and delivers clinical benefits of CLA in as few as 12 weeks. Depending on your current ratio of fat to muscle, you may see even more dramatic results with continued use.
Looking for a science-backed supplement to support your fat-loss goals? Trust the science of CLA in Modere Trim and the Lean Body System and start seeing results!
†Modere Trim awarded Best Weight Management Product by SupplySide West, 2018. The average person can experience a more sculpted, leaner body due to fat reduction which may or may not translate to weight loss depending on a variety of factors including the amount of exercise and motivation to stick to a reduced-calorie diet.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
[1] Gammill, W. (2009). A Comparative Study of High-Linoleic Acid Vegetable Oils for the Production of Conjugated Linoleic Acid. Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal, 10(1). Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/inquiry/vol10/iss1/8 [2] Daniels, S. (2013, June 14). CLA community hits back at Safflower Oil claims: “Science wise, safflower oil is not a serious alternative to CLA for improved body composition”. nutraingredients.com. Retrieved August 24, 2022, from https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2013/06/14/CLA-community-hits-back-at-safflower-oil-claims-Science-wise-safflower-oil-is-not-a-serious-alternative-to-CLA-for-improved-body-composition [3] Thom, E, J Wadstein, and O Gudmundsen. “Conjugated linoleic acid reduces body fat in healthy exercising humans.” J Int Med Res 29 (2001): 392-396. [4] Watras, AC, AC Buchholz, RN Close, Z Zhang, and DA Schoeller. “The role of conjugated linoleic acid in reducing body fat and preventing holiday weight gain.” Int J Obes 31, 3 (2007): 481-487. [5] Kamphuis, MM, MP Lejeune, WH Saris, and MS Westerterp-Plantenga. “The effect of conjugated linoleic acid supplementation after weight loss on body weight regain, body composition, and resting metabolic rate in overweight subjects.” Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 27, 7 (2003): 840-847.
