Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): Fat Loss and Safety
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Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): half-life, strengths and approval status

Amounts studied · Approval status · Half-life notes

What is conjugated linoleic acid?

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a mix of linoleic acid forms found mainly in dairy and beef, sold as a fat-loss supplement. Its effects on weight in people are small: a meta-analysis found about 0.7 kg more weight loss than placebo over 6 to 12 months, of uncertain clinical relevance.

Also known as: CLA.

Amounts studied

The meta-analysis covered 2.4 to 6 g a day for 6 to 12 months; a 1-year trial used about 3.4 to 3.6 g a day of a 50:50 mix of the c9,t11 and t10,c12 forms (ODS, Gaullier 2004). These are study protocols, not a recommendation.

Approval status and how it is used

It is sold in the US as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling.

What studies show: a meta-analysis of 7 trials lasting at least 6 months found 0.70 kg more weight loss and 1.33 kg more fat loss with CLA than placebo, and concluded that CLA does not convincingly produce clinically relevant long-term effects on body composition (Onakpoya 2012). In a 1-year trial in 180 adults with overweight, both CLA forms tested lowered body fat mass compared with placebo (Gaullier 2004). Other trials were mixed: one found small drops from baseline of 0.69 kg of weight after 12 weeks (0.09 kg on placebo), while another, with exercise, found no fat loss versus placebo (ODS).

Safety: ODS says CLA appears well tolerated, with mostly stomach and gut side effects such as discomfort, constipation, diarrhea, nausea and indigestion. CLA has been linked to hepatitis in 3 case reports, though the products were not tested for contaminants. Some studies suggest certain forms may lower HDL ("good") cholesterol and raise lipoprotein(a), and the t10,c12 form has been reported to increase insulin resistance and blood sugar in men with obesity and metabolic syndrome (ODS). FDA warns that many products sold for weight loss, including supplements and teas, are likely to contain dangerous hidden drug ingredients, and that its public list of such products covers only a small fraction of them.

Conjugated linoleic acid half-life and time to peak

  • Half-lifeNot listed
  • Time to peak (Tmax)Not listed

We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for CLA that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one.

How to track conjugated linoleic acid in Dose Track

  1. Add conjugated linoleic acid as a custom compound. Start typing its name and Dose Track fills in the details from its research library for you to check, and it sits next to everything else you take.
  2. Log each dose when you take it so your history shows exactly what you took and when.
  3. Set reminders on your own schedule, whether that is daily, weekly or every few days.
  4. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

How Dose Track handles peptides · Reconstitution calculator · Half-life calculator

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Frequently asked questions

What is the half-life of conjugated linoleic acid?+
We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for CLA that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one.
Does CLA help you lose fat?+
Only a little. A meta-analysis of trials lasting 6 to 12 months found about 1.3 kg more fat loss and 0.7 kg more weight loss than placebo, and the authors said the clinical relevance is uncertain.
Does CLA affect cholesterol or blood sugar?+
It might. ODS says results are inconsistent, but some studies found certain forms lower HDL cholesterol and raise lipoprotein(a), and one form has been reported to raise insulin resistance and blood sugar in men with obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Can I track conjugated linoleic acid in Dose Track?+
Yes. Conjugated linoleic acid is in Dose Track's research library, so when you add it as a custom compound its details are filled in for you to check. You can then log each dose next to your other compounds, set reminders on your own schedule, and see your history next to your lab results. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

Sources

  1. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary supplements for weight loss, fact sheet for health professionals (updated May 18, 2022).
  2. Onakpoya IJ, et al. The efficacy of long-term conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation on body composition in overweight and obese individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Eur J Nutr. 2012;51(2):127-134.
  3. Gaullier JM, et al. Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation for 1 y reduces body fat mass in healthy overweight humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;79(6):1118-1125.
  4. FDA. Weight loss product notifications (medication health fraud), accessed October 28, 2026.
  5. FDA. Questions and answers on dietary supplements.

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