The Original EAS CLA

CLA or Conjugated Linoleic Acid is one of the most consistently popular, best-selling fat-loss supplements of the last 15 years.

Just check the shelves at your local supplement store, even Whole Foods, and you’ll see CLA after CLA supplement. The number of people and companies that act like it’s some new breakthrough are astounding.

I recall being pretty darn excited about it when we first launched it at EAS in about 1996. Hey, it had those really cool but graphic images of dissected mice bellies (showing the difference in body-fat). I think those images were so impactful they set off a story and energy that just won’t die.

Even though, ask me, it should. It’s not that CLA doesn’t work… Wait, yes it is.

CLA Is Crap!

There you go. You heard it here. Yes, I said it.

I know, we had some role in this stuff. And I know there’s a lot of people who want it to work, especially women. But there comes a time–and this one is long overdue–when you’ve got to call’em like you see’em. And this one is done.

I was doing in interview with Will Brink last week (that will be on the KryptoniteReport.com soon), talking about the many relentless myths of fat loss (and muscle building) supplements. And I was so, so relieved to hear Will share it exactly (and I mean exactly) the way I have. First off, outside the one mice study, CLA has consistently failed to produce any meaningful, reliable data which suggests it’s effective for fat-loss in humans (never mind muscle building).

But more so, what I loved about Will’s take was, as he said,

“After 20 or so years you start to get a read of supplements….and my certain clear feeling is that CLA has no impact. In the entire time it’s been used I have yet to have one (not one) single positive report from a person suggesting they were satisfied, let alone impressed, with the results from taking it. If it worked would not one (just one) my my friends, colleagues, clients have reported one good result? I must conclude, yes! And yet, None have!“

So well said. That’s exactly the way I feel. Never, ever has anyone ever made a personal experience case to me that CLA was worth the money, time or attention. It’s simply an utter waste.

Combine mine and Will’s real-world experience with science like this:

CLA supplementation did not significantly affect (p > 0.05) changes in total body mass, fat-free mass, fat mass, percent body fat, bone mass, strength, serum substrates, or general markers of catabolism and immunity during training. These findings indicate that CLA does not appear to possess significant ergogenic value for experienced resistance-trained athletes.

Effects of conjugated linoleic acid supplementation during resistance training on body composition, bone density, strength, and selected hematological markers.   ~Journal of  Strength and Conditioning Research

With it’s less than glowing review on EXAMINE.com and you’ve got all the indicators of a loser.

Why Do So Many Big Co’s Sell It?

This is one of the baffling things about supplements, especially CLA. If it sucks, if it’s truly C-R-A-P then why do so many big name companies sell it? Check it out… from EAS, Muscle Pharm, to Optimum…. and many more. Most all have it.

Why?

They All Want Thier Cut $

Perhaps it’s that they don’t have the science team to determine that it’s not an effective supplement. Does this sound right? I don’t think so.

So that would leave the obvious answer: Because it’s profitable business. And because it sells “we are forced” to add it to our line so as to not lose out on a potential sale. What this translates to is, “We’d rather make the money on a lie than lose a sale telling the truth.”

Yes, principles and profits can be competing Gods to serve–unless of course in the event principles don’t get in your way. Ha… (which I’d suggest is often the case). Now, that’s harsh but really. I know it’s hard to serve many masters and you’ve got to make money for investors, etc. And when a product does no harm, even if all signs point to “ineffective,” it’s got to be hard to pull it and let your competitors clean up on the myth.

A True Measure of Integrity

But maybe, just maybe, this is how you SHOULD be choosing your supplement companies: Not by what they offer but by what they don’t offer. Are they willing and strong enough to stand on integrity regardless of the money thrown their way?

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