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Fatty acid

Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a group of linoleic acid isomers with slightly different structures. Dairy products and beef are its main food sources.

Also listed as CLA, Rumenic Acid

LongevityWeight ManagementImmune SupportCardiovascularFitness

What it is studied for

The strongest rated effects first. Bars show the size of the effect, the letter grades the evidence, and each rating lists the studies behind it.

Oxidative stressLongevitySmallBNo linked study
Weight lossWeight ManagementSmallCNo linked study
Immune SupportSmallCNo linked study
Blood sugarWeight ManagementSmallCNo linked study
Cholesterol balanceCardiovascularSmallCNo linked study
Muscle RecoveryFitnessSmallCNo linked study
Every rating with its studiesGrouped by health goal, with the publications behind each rating

What is CLA?

CLA refers to several forms of linoleic acid with slightly different structures, called isomers. Dairy products and beef are its main food sources. Supplement mixtures are therefore more specific than the broad name on the bottle might suggest. 1

Why people take it

Weight Management23.2%
Fitness21.7%
Essential Health19%
Energy14.3%
Cardiovascular6.3%
Cognition3.6%

SuppCo community snapshot, 2026-09-28. Reasons for use are not evidence that it works.

Questions people ask

Is CLA a reliable fat burner?

Higher-quality trials in the 2024 review did not show a reduction in fat mass or body-fat percentage. 2

Does it improve exercise performance?

The review of CLA combined with exercise found no performance advantage over exercise alone. 3

Is 3 g a recommended daily dose?

No. EFSA’s 3 g CLA figure concerned the safety of a particular oil under specified conditions, not a general recommendation. 4

Sources