Abstract
Preliminary evidence suggests that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may reduce body weight and affect body composition. The present study assessed the effect of CLA supplementation on body fat composition in overweight and obese women, while also evaluating the liver safety of CLA use. Seventy-four obese or overweight women were randomly assigned to receive 3 g/day CLA or placebo for 12 weeks. Body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and liver function (13C-methacetin breath test and serum liver enzymes) were assessed before and after the trial. Patients receiving CLA experienced a significant reduction of total body fat expressed as mass (p = 0.0007) and percentage (p = 0.0006), android adipose tissue (p = 0.0002), gynoid adipose tissue (p = 0.0028), and visceral adipose tissue (p = 4.2 × 10−9) as well as a significant increase in lean body mass to height (p = 6.1 × 10−11) when compared to those receiving a placebo. The maximum momentary 13C recovery changes and end-point values were significantly higher in the CLA group when compared to the placebo group (p = 0.0385 and p = 0.0076, respectively). There were no significant changes in alanine aminotransferase, asparagine aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activities between the groups. In conclusion, CLA supplementation was well tolerated and safe for the liver, which shows beneficial effects on fat composition in overweight and obese women.
Highlights
Overweight and obesity conditions are increasing in prevalence in both developing and developed countries [1], which is a cause for concern as excess adiposity is associated with many different long-term health complications, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and various forms of cancer [2] In particular, visceral fat has been correlated with worse health outcomes and increased mortality risk, among women [3]
Gaullier et al [9] conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 118 participants to study the effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation on fat mass and its distribution compared to the placebo for six months, finding a significant decrease in body fat mass at 3 and 6 months
CLA supplementation may inhibit CYP1A2 activity, which is a key member of the cytochrome P40 family of enzymes in the liver involved in drug metabolism [18]
Summary
Overweight and obesity conditions are increasing in prevalence in both developing and developed countries [1], which is a cause for concern as excess adiposity is associated with many different long-term health complications, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and various forms of cancer [2] In particular, visceral fat has been correlated with worse health outcomes and increased mortality risk, among women [3]. Gaullier et al [9] conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 118 participants to study the effects of CLA supplementation on fat mass and its distribution compared to the placebo for six months, finding a significant decrease in body fat mass at 3 and 6 months. The changes observed might be attributable to reduced caloric intake as opposed to exclusive CLA supplementation Another major limitation of this study was the small sample size. CLA supplementation may inhibit CYP1A2 activity, which is a key member of the cytochrome P40 family of enzymes in the liver involved in drug metabolism [18] This data analysis aimed to explore the effect of 12-week supplementation of CLA in overweight and obese women on fat reduction, visceral fat, and to assess efficacy and safety of this supplementation on liver function
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