Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and body fat

What 3 graded rows on conjugated linoleic acid (cla) agree on for body fat, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.

Consensus finder Rows from the Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides

What the rows agree on

Each block and row is one graded row from the Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) page, with its PubMed record.

Supplement

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) Choose another

3 rows · 4,366 people

Mostly an improvement: 2 of 3 rows, and most of the people. 1 found no difference.

No difference

Improved

Each block is one evidence row, sized by how many people it enrolled, with its grade inside.

From the rows

Trial sizeStudy designWho was studiedGrade

The best-graded row, grade C, is a meta-analysis of 4,159 people (2024) and found an improvement.

The 2 rows that found an improvement were larger: a median of 2,170 people, against 27 people for the row that found no difference.

Only the 2 rows that found an improvement include pooled reviews of several trials (1 of 2); the row that found no difference is a single study.

Only the row that found no difference names men in its population.

The best grade is C among the rows that found an improvement, and D among the row that found no difference.

2 improved · 1 no difference

Grade CBody weight and fat mass · Improved
Meta-analysis, 70 studies · n 4,159 · 2024 · Adults in 70 randomized trials
Varied across trials · Varied across trials
CLA lowered body weight by 0.35 kg, fat mass by 0.44 kg and body fat by 0.77 percentage points versus placebo; in high-quality trials it did not change fat mass or body fat percentage.
Row on the Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) page · PubMed 37671495 (opens PubMed)
Grade CBody fat mass · Improved
RCT · n 180 · 2004 · Healthy adults with overweight (BMI 25–30)
About 3.4–3.6 g CLA daily (per the NIH ODS summary) · 1 year
Body fat mass was 6.9–8.7% lower than placebo; LDL rose with the free fatty acid form, HDL fell with the triglyceride form, and lipoprotein(a) rose in both CLA groups.
Row on the Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) page · PubMed 15159244 (opens PubMed)
Grade DBody composition and blood lipids · No difference
Crossover RCT · n 27 · 2011 · Men aged 18–60 with overweight and borderline high LDL cholesterol
3.5 g daily · 8 weeks per phase
Neither CLA preparation changed body composition, lipid profile or safety markers compared with safflower oil.
Row on the Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) page · PubMed 21593349 (opens PubMed)