About CLA's FAQs

What is CLA One®?
CLA One‚ is PharmaNutrients’ branded, commercially available form of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). It is the next generation that extends beyond weight management into several important health-related issues.

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What is conjugated linoleic acid?
Conjugated linoleic acid is an isomer (structural variant) of linoleic acid, one of the two essential fatty acids, the other being linolenic acid. There are actually several different isomeric structures of CLA, however extensive scientific studies suggest that two of these isomers c9,t11 and t10,c12 may have specific health benefits.

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What is linoleic acid?
Linoleic acid is one of the two essential fatty acids mentioned above. Chemically, linoleic acid is defined as an 18:2n6 fatty acid. This means that linoleic acid is an 18-carbon fatty acid with two (2) double bonds, the first double bond occurring at the 6th carbon molecule. Man and other mammals cannot synthesize fatty acids with double bonds occurring at either the 6th carbon molecule (linoleic acid) or at the 3rd carbon molecule (linolenic acid).

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Does CLA occur naturally?
CLA is a naturally occurring fatty acid primarily found in beef and dairy fats. When cattle feed on native grasses, their digestive systems convert some of the linoleic acid content into CLA. You’ll find CLA primarily in beef, lamb, veal, turkey, chicken and pork, as well as dairy products such as milk, butter, sour cream, yogurt, and a variety of cheeses (colby, ricotta, mozzarella, cottage, cheddar, parmesan and romano). CLA also occurs naturally in other food such as vegetable oils like safflower and sunflower oil.

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Are there sufficient levels of CLA in my normal diet?
Researchers have studies CLA’s content in our diets for more than 20 years. Interestingly, dietary intake of CLA has drastically declined over this 20 year span. Scientists cite two reasons:

Changing lifestyles have reduced the consumption of beef and dairy products up to 50%.

The shift in cattle and dairy herd feeding practices from natural grass to grains has resulted in less naturally-produced CLA in meat and dairy products.

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Does CLA occur naturally in humans?
CLA, as part of the omega-6 fatty acid family, cannot be synthesized by man and other mammals, since they lack the enzyme necessary to convert linoleic to conjugated linoleic acid.

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So what does CLA do?
Substantial evidence in animal and some humans shows CLA increases lean body mass (LBM) and decreases fat tissue. In humans, weight loss has been variable, and in some cases, negligible. However, by increasing lean muscle mass and reducing body fat, even without weight loss, the appearance is that one looks thinner, as muscle tissue is denser and more compact than fat tissue. Additionally, CLA has been shown in animals to normalize impaired glucose tolerance and improve hyperinsulinemia and to favorably influence the physiological response to stress and the immune system. Emerging research is investigating CLA’s affect on factors involved with atherosclerosis. Initial animal studies have also demonstrated that CLA may inhibit the initiation and propogation of mammary tumors and may even decrease the spread of metastasis.

Additional animal research into the anti-inflammatory and enhanced effects of CLA have shown its potential to provide protection against health issues most often associated with aging, oxidative damage or decreased immune response. These conditions typically manifest themselves as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and sports-induced stress response. These conditions may likely be helped by CLA.

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Is CLA a weight loss product?
No. CLA is a weight management product. Like all supplements, it should be used as part of a regular diet and routine exercise program. Sometimes people think it's a weight loss product and in fact, you may lose body fat. Since muscle tissue is denser and more compact than body fat, increasing lean muscle mass may provide a thinner appearance.

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Can't I just increase my intake of beef, milk, cheese or other foods high in CLA content to make up for any deficiencies in my current diet?
You could, only you'd need to eat six pounds (96 ounces!) of steak or fifty slices of Colby cheese to receive the same amount CLA that is found in most CLA dietary supplement products.

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How much would I need to take?
That depends on the specific health issue. For example, in body composition (weight management), the recommended dosage is one 1000mg capsule, three times a day.

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Are there patents on CLA?
Yes. Several academic institutions and corporations hold patents on a wide variety of both animal and human applications for CLA including use as a supplement in animal feeds and in the areas of weight management, immune function, diabetes and several other health areas.

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Why is CLA One considered the next generation of CLA?
CLA One, PharmaNutrients’ branded, commercially-available form of CLA, builds on CLA’s nutrient partitioning (body composition) heritage. It is designed to offer potential in maintaining or promoting good cardiovascular function, immune function, and glucose management.

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So how is CLA One different than other forms of CLA?
CLA One is consistently high in the c9,t11 and t10,c12 isomers. These two isomers have been associated with demonstrated health benefits. For example, in multiple studies, the t10,c12 isomer has been suggested as being the active isomer in regulating body composition as a partitioning agent, while c9,t11 appears to be involved in immune function, including tissue and blood cell response.

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What's in CLA One?
CLA One contains 75% active conjugated linoleic acid. Other commercial products contain less active amounts of CLA.

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Are there any negative side effects or toxicity issues?
Negative side effects have not been observed in humans when CLA is taken in prescribed dosages. In laboratory studies, animals have been fed doses of CLA up to 50 to 80 times the normal daily intake without adverse effects. CLA One is also clean and pure, free from her bicides and pesticides with no additional alcohol and petroleum-based additives. CLA One is prepared through a more natural process to ensure a cleaner product and is not subject to heat extremes during processing (heat exposure may increase levels of trans-trans fatty acids).

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How long before I see some positive effect?
Again, that depends on how much CLA you are taking and whether or not you are combining use of CLA One as part of a regular diet and routine exercise program. For weight management, people report noticeable results in four to six weeks.

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Is fat good for me?
It is common for people today to believe fat is bad and should be avoided to remain healthy. However, dietary fats are involved in production and storage of energy, lipid transport and membrane synthesis. Essential fatty acids have specific effects on the structure and physical properties of localized membrane demands and are involved in eicosanoid production, signal transduction and the activation of nuclear transcription. Essential fatty acids also promote the growth of healthy nails, hair and skin.