Supplement · Fatty acids & lipids
CLA (conjugated linoleic acid)
Also known as: Conjugated linoleic acid
A body-composition supplement whose human fat-loss results are tiny and inconsistent.
- Evidence
- Unproven· human data
- Sources cited
- 1
- Last reviewed
- 22 July 2026
CLA is a group of fatty acids that produced striking fat-loss effects in some animal studies, which drove its popularity as a body-composition supplement.
In humans, the results have been far less impressive — any fat-loss effect is tiny, inconsistent and not clinically meaningful, and gastrointestinal side effects are common. It is a clear example of animal data failing to translate; an energy deficit does the real work.