cla or efa's

[gwenna]

Hello, This is probably a silly question but I see people recommended to supplement with essential fatty acids. Many months ago when I started to try and lose weight I went to a store and they said take CLA's, so I bought some. Well I didn't really take them very often, didn't really try too hard at that time, but now that I am getting back on track and have cleaned up my diet a lot and am exercising regularily I started taking them again. The bottle is almost empty now and I am not sure if I should be buying more CLA, or some EFA's or both? I really do hope they aren't the same thing I use olive oil for cooking, eat fish almost everyday cause I like it, eat almonds and walnuts everyday in small amounts. The rest of my breakdown of carbs & protein is pretty balanced. My goal is to lose at least 50 pounds, I will see how I feel and look when I get there. I take a multi vitamin and hoodia right now and I use protein powder. Those are the only supplements I take. I just basically don't understand the difference between CLA & EFA's and am not sure which one to buy next. Thanks for any help! and yes, I am new to posting, I have been reading daily for the past 6 weeks to figure out what to eat, what to supplement and what exercise to do. But I couldn't find anything comparing these two. Like I said, hope they aren't the same!

[Freestyle72]

no they aren't really the same...CLA is an animal fat i beleive research on rats i think has shown then rats that consumed CLA became leaner...i'm not sure if there have been conclusive studies done for humans but as far as i know people take CLA cuz its supposed to help make you leaner. And EFA are fatty acids that your body needs to remain healthy...obviously you can get these from foods, but having a healthy supply gaurantees ur never not getting enough...but since u eat alot of fish you should be ok...Also consuming healthy fats like EFAs should help your metabolism out

[bwilson]

I wouldn't bother with the CLA if I was you I am just not a big fan of it.

[ericpeavey]

some studys on humans showed a possible link between cla and increased muscle mass while dieting (in a caloric deficit). I think i read this in a magazine called 'muscle' put out by men's health.

[TheManofSteel]

I've read some reserach on CLA is split down the middle... Some say it works and some say it doesn't do anything... I took it for awhile and didn't see anything... my mentor (another PT) took it for awhile and didn't see anything either...

Others can correct me if I am wrong... I think I remember seeing that you have to take CLA for a sustained amount of time to see any kind of results... you'd have to buy like 3 bottles and take up to 4 or 6 grams a day...

[Village Idiot]

Ya for CLA to have any fat loss/lean muscle mass production effects you need to take it regularly for about three months and like 3-5 grams a day. As everyone else has said its still inconclusive. I have been taking it, i see results, but I am sure it is from mostly diet and exercise but the placebo effect is worth it since i already spent the money on a second bottle.

[young_squatter]

Fish oil is best

[elevator]

Here's an article you can check out.

Sesamin+CLA: Controlling Your Body Fat
Derek Charlebois

The norm in bodybuilding is to alternate between periods of cutting and bulking, or simply put periods of losing fat while trying not to lose muscle and periods of gaining muscle commonly along with fat. I myself hate dieting for 20 weeks for a competition only to quickly regain the fat I loss as soon as I raise my caloric intake. Because of this, I try to keep my body fat percentage under control while bulking. Sesamin has proved to be a godsend in regards to keep my body fat under control while bulking. Like everyone else reading this article, I am always looking for ways to improve my results. The combination of Sesamin + CLA looks to be a way to do just that.

Sesamin
Sesamin is a lignan isolated from sesame seeds. A lignan is a molecule that combines with another entity acting as an “activator.” In the case of sesamin, it binds to and activates a receptor called Peroxisome Proliferator-Activator Receptor Alpha (PPARalpha). Sesamin has been shown to be a potent PPARalpha activator [1].
The PPAR receptor family is divided into three subgroups: alpha, beta/delta, and gamma. PPARalpha is highly expressed in muscle, the liver, kidneys, and heart and is involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism, specifically the transcription of the genes involved in the beta-oxidation (burning) of fatty acids and lipogenesis. Activation of PPARalpha increases gene expression of the fatty acid oxidation enzymes and decreases gene expression of lipogenic enzymes.
Of vital important, Sesamin increases the expression of the mitochondrial enzyme carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT), among other enzymes [2]. CPT, the rate-limiting enzyme in beta-oxidation of fatty acids in skeletal muscle and liver cell mitochondria, is found on the outer membrane of mitochondria and carries fatty acids across the membrane into the mitochondria by binding to them. Increasing the expression of CPT, along with other enzymes involved in beta-oxidation, will allow more fatty acids to be transported into the mitochondria where they can be oxidized.
In addition to increasing the oxidation of fat, Sesamin supplementation has also been shown to decrease lipogenesis (fat storage) by decreasing lipogenic enzymes in the liver. Sesamin has been shown to decrease lipogenic the gene expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1), acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and fatty acid synthase, among other lipogenic enzymes [3], which means less fat is esterifized in the liver and therefore less fat is stored in adipose tissue (fat cells). So Sesamin works in two ways to make you lean (and keep you lean): increasing fat oxidation and decreasing fat storage.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is a mix of isomers of linoleic acid (commercially sold as a 50:50 mix of cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12 isomers). Studies done on humans have shown decreased body fat and/or increased lean mass (though results are mixed). CLA is believed to influence body composition through regulation of lipid metabolism.
Studies have shown CLA to inhibit transcription of enzymes involved in de novo fatty acid synthesis/lipogenesis, desaturation of fatty acids, and triglyceride synthesis [4]. It is believed that CLA decreases the activation of PPARgamma, resulting in the attenuation of fat cell differentiation. In mice, CLA supplementation has been shown to decrease adipocyte number and size as well as cause apoptosis (cell death) of adipocytes [4] and researchers believe CLA to have similar properties in humans.

Sesamin + CLA Supplmentation
The combination of Sesamin + CLA should prove very potent for fat loss or fat gain prevention. Supplementing with CLA will cause a decrease in triglyceride uptake by adipocytes and lipogenesis/fat storage, but if these fatty acids are not oxidized, they will build up in the blood and liver leading to insulin resistance. By adding Sesamin into the mix, fat oxidation will be increased (very strongly in the liver), resulting in the oxidation of the elevated fatty acid concentration caused by CLA as well as working synergistically with CLA to decrease fat storage. The combination of Sesamin + CLA attacks fat oxidation and storage from multiple angles, resulting in less stored body fat.
*Common dosages for Sesamin range from 500-150 mg per day.
*Common dosages for CLA range from 3-6 grams per day, with some user experimenting with and noticing enhanced results with 6-12 grams per day.

References:
1. JARQ 37 (3), 151 – 158 (2003)’
2. J Agric Food Chem. 2001 May;49(5):2647-51
3. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2001 Nov 30;1534(1):1-
4. J Lipid Res. 2003 Dec;44(12):2234-41. Epub 2003 Aug 16