According to researchers at the Lipid Nutrition Center in the Netherlands, linoleic acid supplements induce a change in body fat distribution, with the greatest fat reductions occurring in the abdomen and legs. Meanwhile, body weight and body mass index are essentially unaffected.
Linoleic acid is found in food sources originating from cows, sheep, and dairy products. Researchers randomly assigned 105 overweight or obese adults to 3.4 grams per day of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) or to a placebo, consisting of olive oil, for 6 months.
At the end of the 6-month period, researchers saw a significant 5.6 percent drop in body fat mass in participants given the conjugated linoleic acid supplement compared with those given placebo.
In women, fat mass reductions occurred in both the abdomen and legs, while in men, reductions were only seen in the abdomen. The conjugated linoleic acid supplements did not affect tissue composition in the arms.
Further studies are needed to examine the full effects of linoleic acid supplement.
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