CLA

What Is CLA?

Linoleic acid is the most common omega-6 fatty acid, found in large amounts in vegetable oils but also in various other foods in smaller amounts.

The “conjugated” prefix has to do with the arrangement of the double bonds in the fatty acid molecule.

There are 28 different forms of CLA .

The difference between these forms is that their double bonds are arranged in various ways. It’s important to keep in mind that something as minuscule as this can make a world of difference to our cells.

CLA is essentially a type of polyunsaturated, omega-6 fatty acid. In other words, it’s technically a trans fat — but a natural type of trans fat that occurs in many healthy foods.
Found in Beef and Dairy — Particularly From Grass-Fed Animals
The main dietary sources of CLA are the meat and milk of ruminants, such as cows, goats and sheep.

The total amounts of CLA in these foods varies greatly depending on what the animals ate.

For example, the CLA content is 300–500% higher in beef and dairy from grass-fed cows than grain-fed cows.

Most people already ingest some CLA through their diet. The average intake in the US is about 151 mg per day for women and 212 mg for men.

Keep in mind that the CLA you find in supplements is not derived from natural foods but made by chemically altering linoleic acid found in vegetable oils.

The balance of the different forms is heavily distorted in supplements. They contain types of CLA never found in large amounts in nature.

For this reason, CLA supplements do not provide the same health effects as CLA from foods.

Potential Health Benefits

In nature, CLA is mostly found in the fatty meat and dairy of ruminant animals.

Many long-term observational studies have assessed disease risk in people who consume larger amounts of CLA.

Notably, people who get a lot of CLA from foods are at a lower risk of various diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cancer.

Additionally, studies in countries where cows predominantly eat grass — rather than grain — show that people with the most CLA in their bodies have a lower risk of heart disease.

However, this lower risk could also be caused by other protective components in grass-fed animal products, such as vitamin K2.