According to research conducted by Ohio State University, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may help reduce body fat, but it also increases your risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
In 2003, a study showed that a 2 month supplementation of CLA lowered body mass and blood sugars in diabetics. The recent studies conducted on mice fed a CLA supplemented diet lost weight very fast, but also accumulated excessive amounts of fat in their livers - a side effect of rapid weight loss. In addition, excessive accumulation of fat in the liver is associated with insulin resistance, a factor exacerbating type 2 diabetes.
Although the recent findings were conducted on mice, CLA may or may not have a similar effect on humans. CLA has been a hot selling item in supplement stores for years. I wonder what the results would be if people who have taken CLA (the t10c12 variety) for years were to discontinue use for 4 weeks. I would be curious to see the baseline and follow-up tests for body mass, insulin sensitivity and fat accumulation in the liver. Any med students out there interested in setting-up a lab profiling hepatic function in CLA poppers?
