Dietary Conjugated Linoleic Acids (CLA) and Body Fat Changes

A mixture of CLA isomers was fed to mice at 0, 1, and 2% of the diet for 5, 12, or 14 days. Dietary CLA caused a reduction of body fat approaching 50% but did not cause a loss of total body weight. Mice fed CLA also experienced programmed cell death (apoptosis) of fat cells. Certain (not all) CLA isomers are natural components of beef and dairy products but not other foods. Therefore, these observations prompt speculation of an additional health benefit, reduced adiposity — to humans that eat ruminant-derived foods