What Is CLA?

Ok, so what is this CLA stuff? CLA, short for conjugated linoleic acid, is a naturally occurring fatty acid found in high fat foods such as beef and cheese. It can even be found in some processed foods like processed cheese. Not that I am advocating eating processed food, since the amount you would have to eat would far outweigh any possible health benefits of the CLA inside of the junk food.

CLA, typically sold under the brand name Tonalin, gives the benefits of helping to burn fat more effectively, while simultaneously, helping not only to keep, but also to build new lean muscle tissue!

How Does CLA Work?

Typical diet products on the market help you lose weight in one of two ways. Either:

A) The product helps you eat less by suppressing your appetite by either sending the message to your brain that you are full (such is the case with products containing the South African plant known as "Hoodia"), or by basically being fiber based, in which the fiber in the supplement combines with water that you drink, expanding the fiber in your stomach, and therefore creating a feeling of fullness.

or

B) The product stimulates your central nervous system via a combination of stimulant herbs (such as caffeine, yerba mate, yohimbe, etc.), which then heats your body up to burn calories. This process is called thermogenesis. People who are sensitive to caffeine or other stimulants should refrain from using thermogenic products.

However, CLA does not fit into either category of diet products, since the way in which CLA works is so different. The way CLA works is this...CLA helps to build lean muscle tissue. Since larger muscles burn more calories in an effort to feed the new muscle growth, fat calories are burned. And the way in which CLA helps to grow new lean muscle tissue, is by what is known as "nutrient repartitioning," which means - when you eat food, CLA will help make the most of that food by using it to help rebuild muscle tissue and therefore help the muscles grow, as opposed to allowing the nutrients to be used in another manner, such as being used for stored energy, or in other terms, being stored as fat.

Who Should Take CLA?

Men and women alike can take CLA. Since CLA is food based, non-toxic, and is not a stimulant, anyone, regardless of age, sensitivity to caffeine and other stimulants, fitness and health goals, should take CLA to boost their performance and achieve results faster.

Yours in health,

James Hallmark

CFT