Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) from food is good for you. This natural trans fat comes from the meat and milk of grass-fed animals. It is linked to better metabolic health and a lower risk of many diseases. High-dose supplements are a different story. They are made by chemically changing linoleic acid from vegetable oils, and they fuel liver fat, inflammation and insulin resistance.
We have heard a lot about the harm fat does. But did you know that some fats are actually good for your health? Conjugated linoleic acid is one of them. Here is why you need not worry about this healthy trans fat.
What Is Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)?
CLA is a type of polyunsaturated, omega-6 fatty acid. It is mostly found in the meat and milk of ruminants (grazing animals with a multi-chamber stomach), such as cows, goats, and sheep. There are 28 different forms of CLA. They differ in how their double bonds are arranged. “Conjugated” in this case has to do with the arrangement of the double bonds in the structure of the fatty acid molecule.
CLA is a natural trans fat. It is not associated with the health risks that come from eating large amounts of artificial trans fats, such as industrial trans fats.
What foods are high in CLA?
How much CLA is in meat and dairy depends on what the animals are fed. Research has shown that grass-fed animals have the highest amounts of linoleic acid. They are also loaded with vitamin K, which adds more health benefits.
The average intake of CLA in the US is about 151 mg per day for women and 212 mg for men. Many CLA supplements have flooded the market. Sadly, most of them do not come from natural sources. Most are made from linoleic acid taken from plant sources. That linoleic acid is then chemically changed to look like CLA. For this reason, CLA supplements may not give the same health effects as the natural CLA you get from food.
Does CLA help you lose weight and body fat?
Like other fats, conjugated linoleic acid is not inert. It is active in the body. Research suggests that CLA may help with weight loss in several ways. These include:
- Fat burning
- Reducing food intake
- Stimulating fat breakdown
- Inhibiting fat production
Human studies have also shown that CLA can help cut body fat while building muscle. But some human studies have only shown modest effects on weight loss. In them, weight loss is greatest during the first six months. After that, it levels off for up to two years.
What is conjugated linoleic acid good for?
People who get a lot of CLA from foods are at a lower risk of various diseases. This is especially true in areas where cows mostly eat grass — rather than grain.
CLA is also useful for:
- Controlling high blood pressure
- Reducing obesity
- Improving metabolic syndrome
- Treating symptoms of hay fever allergies
- Improving airway sensitivity in asthma
- Reducing risk for breast cancer
- Improving cognitive function in elderly men
- Relieving symptoms of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- Reducing pain, inflammation, and stiffness in rheumatoid arthritis
Many studies have suggested that people who eat the most CLA from food have better metabolic health. They also have a lower risk of many diseases.
Does CLA Cause Serious Side Effects?
Small amounts of natural CLA are good for you. But high doses may trigger serious side effects. High doses usually come from supplements made by chemically changing linoleic acid from vegetable oils. CLA supplements usually come in higher doses than the amounts people get from dairy or meat.
Studies have shown that high amounts of CLA from supplements can cause more fat to build up in your liver. In time, this will help drive metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
High amounts of CLA can also trigger inflammation and fuel insulin resistance (when cells stop answering insulin). That is a shame, because it works against the health benefits that can come from this fatty acid.
Other side effects associated with high doses of conjugated linoleic acid include:
- Diarrhea
- Insulin resistance
- Oxidative stress
To avoid this, stick to the recommended daily doses of CLA, especially when you take supplements. Whenever possible, get your CLA straight from meat or dairy.
How much CLA should you take a day?
The right dose of CLA for adults is about 3.2–6.4 grams per day. One review estimated a minimum of 3 grams daily for weight loss. Doses of up to 6 grams per day can be taken without serious adverse side effects.
The FDA allows CLA to be added to foods. It gives CLA GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status. Still, remember to stick to the right dose. Higher doses can easily trigger unwanted side effects.
In Conclusion
Conjugated linoleic acid has been used with success to help people lose weight. It has also shown potential in treating obesity, metabolic syndrome, and other health conditions.
It does not cause any serious side effects at doses up to 6 grams per day. But higher doses, especially from supplements, may cause long-term harm. Since this is a potential problem, you should consider safer ways to lose fat.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to take CLA every day?
Small amounts of natural CLA from meat and dairy are good for you. The FDA gives CLA GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status. Doses up to 6 grams a day have not caused serious side effects. Higher doses, mostly from supplements, can build up fat in the liver. They can trigger inflammation and fuel insulin resistance. They can also cause diarrhea and oxidative stress. Stay within the recommended daily dose.
Are CLA supplements as good as CLA from food?
Not necessarily. Most CLA supplements do not come from natural sources. They start as linoleic acid from vegetable oils that is chemically changed to look like CLA. They also come in much higher doses than you get from meat or dairy. For both reasons, they may not give the same health effects as natural CLA. So whenever possible, get yours from grass-fed meat and dairy.
Related reading
References
- NCBI (2011): Effects of ruminant trans fatty acids on cardiovascular disease and cancer: a comprehensive review of epidemiological, clinical, and mechanistic studies. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22332075
- NCBI (2001): Estimation of conjugated linoleic acid intake by written dietary assessment methodologies underestimates actual intake evaluated by food duplicate methodology. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11340114
- NCBI (2009): Antiobesity Mechanisms of Action of Conjugated Linoleic Acid. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2826589/
- NCBI (2007): Efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid for reducing fat mass: a meta-analysis in humans. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17490954
- NCBI (2010): Conjugated linoleic acid in adipose tissue and risk of myocardial infarction. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20463040
Medically reviewed by Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP
Interventional pain physician, addiction medicine specialist and obesity medicine diplomate.
Licensed in Missouri and Illinois.
Last reviewed June 18, 2026
