Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Paper
  • Published:

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduced abdominal adipose tissue in obese middle-aged men with signs of the metabolic syndrome: a randomised controlled trial

International Journal of Obesity volume 25, pages 1129–1135 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Abdominal obesity is strongly related to metabolic disorders. Recent research suggests that dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduces body fat and may improve metabolic variables in animals. The metabolic effects of CLA in abdominally obese humans have not yet been tested.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short-term effect of CLA on abdominal fat and cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged men with metabolic disorders.

METHODS: Twenty-five abdominally obese men (waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), 1.05±0.05; body mass index (BMI), 32±2.7 kg/m2 (mean±s.d.)) who were between 39 and 64-y-old participated in a double-blind randomised controlled trial for 4 weeks. Fourteen men received 4.2 g CLA/day and 10 men recieved a placebo. The main endpoints were differences between the two groups in sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD), serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, free fatty acids, glucose and insulin.

RESULTS: At baseline, there were no significant differences between groups in anthropometric or metabolic variables. After 4 weeks there was a significant decrease in SAD (cm) in the CLA group compared to placebo (P=0.04, 95% CI; −1.12, −0.02). Other measurements of anthropometry or metabolism showed no significant differences between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that CLA supplementation for 4 weeks in obese men with the metabolic syndrome may decrease abdominal fat, without concomitant effects on overall obesity or other cardiovascular risk factors. Because of the limited sample size, the effects of CLA in abdominal obesity need to be further investigated in larger trials with longer duration.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Park Y, Albright KJ, Liu W, Storkson JM, Cook ME, Pariza MW . Effect of conjugated linoleic acid on body composition in mice Lipids 1997 32: 853–858.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. West DB, DeLany JP, Camet PM, Blohm F, Truett AA, Schimeca JA . Effects of conjugated linoleic acid on body fat and energy metabolism in the mouse Am J Physiol 1998 275: (Regulatory Intergrative Comp Physiol 44) R667–R672.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Dugan MER, Aalhus JL, Shaefer AL, Kramer JKG . The effects of conjugated linoleic acid on fat to lean repartitioning and feed conversion in pigs Can J Anim Sci 1997 77: 723–725.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Dunshea FR, Ostrowska E, Muralitharan M, Cross R, Bauman DE, Pariza MW, Skarie C . Dietary conjugated linoleic acid decreases back fat in finisher gilts J Anim Sci 1998 76 (Suppl 1): 1998.

  5. Ostrowska E, Muralitharan M, Cross RF, Bauman DE, Dunshea FR . Dietary conjugated linoleic acid increases lean tissue and decrease fat deposition in growing pigs J Nutr 1999 129: 2037–2042.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kepler CR, Hirons KP, McNeill JJ, Tove SB . Intermediates and products of the bihydrogenation of linoleic acid by Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens J Biol Chem 1966 245: 3612–3620.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Chin SF, Liu W, Storkson JM, Ha YL, Pariza MW . Dietary sources of conjugated dienoic isomers of linoleic acid, a newly recognized class of anticarcinogens J Food Comp Anal 1992 5: 185–197.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Britton M, Fong C, Wickens D, Yudkin J . Diet as a source of phospholipid esterified 9, 11-octadecadinoic acid in humans Clin Sci 1992 83: 97–101.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Jiang J, Wolk A, Vessby B . Relation between the intake of milk fat and the occurrence of conjugated linoleic acid in human adipose tissue Am J Clin Nutr 1999 70: 21–27.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Houseknecht K, Vanden Heuvel JP, Moya-Camarena SY, Portocarrero CP, Peck LW, Nickel KP, Belury MA . Dietary conjugated linoleic acid normalizes impaired glucose tolerance in zucker diabetic fatty fa/fa rat Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1998 244: 678–682.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Gavino VC, Gavino G, Leblanc MJ, Tuchweber B . An isomeric mixture of conjugated linoleic acid but not pure cis-9, trans-11-octadecadienoic acid affects body weight gain and plasma lipids in hamsters J Nutr 2000 130: 27–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Lee KN, Kritchevsky D, Pariza MW . Conjugated linoleic acid and atherosclerosis in rabbits Atherosclerosis 1994 108: 19–25.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Nicolosi RJ, Rogers EJ, Kritchevsky D, Schimeca, Huth PJ . Dietary conjugated linoleic acid reduces plasma lipoproteins and early aortic atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic hamsters Artery 1997 22: 266–277.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Björntorp P . Visceral obesity: a civilization syndrome Obes Res 1993 1: 206–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Després JP . The insulin resistance-dyslipidemic syndrome of visceral obesity: effect on patients risk. (Review.) Obes Res 1998 6 (Suppl 1): 8–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Smedman AEM, Gustafsson I-B, Berglund LGT, Vessby BOH . Pentadecanoic acid in serum as a marker for intake of milk fat: relations between intake of milk fat and metabolic risk factors Am J Clin Nutr 1999 69: 22–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kvist H, Chowdhury B, Grangård U, Tylén U, Sjöström L . Total and visceral adipose-tissue volumes derived from measurements with computed tomography in adult men and women: predictive equations Am J Clin Nutr 1988 48: 1351–1361.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Van der Kooy K, Leenen R, Seidell JC, Deurenberg P, Visser M . Abdominal diameters as indicators of visceral fat: comparison between magnetic resonance imaging and anthropometry Br J Nutr 1993 70: 47–58.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Sjöström L, Lönn L, Chowdbury B . The sagittal diameter is a valid marker of visceral adipose tissue volume. In: Angel A, Anderson H, Bouchard C, Lau L, Leiter L, Mendelson R (eds). Progress in obesity research VII John Libbey: London 1996 pp 309–319.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Pouliot MC, Després JP, Lemieux S Moorjani S, Bouchard C, Tremblay A, Nadeau A, Lupien PJ . Waist circumference and sagittal diameter: best simple anthropometric indexes of abdominal visceral adipose tissue accumulation and related metabolic cardiovascular risk factors risk in men and in women Am J Cardiol 1994 73: 460–468.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Richelsen B, Pedersen SB . Associations between different anthropometric measurements of fatness and metabolic risk parameters in non-obese, healthy, middle-aged men Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1995 19: 169–174.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Öhrvall M, Berglund L, Vessby B . Sagittal abdominal diameter compared with other anthropometric measurements in relation to cardiovascular risk Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2000 24: 497–501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Kahn HS, Austin H, Williamson DF, Arensberg D . Simple anthropometric indices associated with ischemic heart disease J Clin Epidemiol 1996 49: 1017–1024.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Gustat J, Elkasabany AM, Srinivasan SS, Berenson GS . The use of abdominal height (sagittal diameter) in predicting cardiovascular risk factors—The Bogalusa Heart Study Circulation 1998 98 (Suppl 1): Abstract 3064.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Seidell JC, Andres R, Sorkin JD, Muller DC . The sagittal waist diameter and mortality in men: the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1994 18: 61–67.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Van Staveren WA, De Boer JO, Burema J . Validity and reproducibility of dietary history method estimating the usual food intake during the month Am J Clin Nutr 1985 42: 554–559.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Becker W . Befolkningens kostvanor och näringsintag i Sverige 1989. Metod och resultatanalys (Food habits and nutrient intake in Sweden 1989. Methods and results) Statens Livsmedelsverk: Uppsala 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Jiang J . Conjugated linoleic acid: occurrence, oxidation and production by dairy starter cultures (dissertation) Swedish University of Agriculture Sciences: Uppsala 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  29. World Health Organization . The use and interpretation of anthropometry Report of a WHO Expert Committee on Physical Status. WHO Technical Report Series. no. 854 1995 WHO: Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  30. Seigler L, Wu WT . Separation of serum high-density lipoprotein for cholesterol determination: ultracentrifugationn vs precipitation with sodium phosphotunstate and magnesium chloride Clin Chem 1981 27: 838–841.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Keller C, Chintapalli K, Lancaster J . Correlation of anthropometry with CT in Mexican American-women Res Nurs Health 1999 22: 145–153.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Zamboni M, Turcato E, Armellini F, HS Kahn, Zivelonghi A, Santana H, Bergamo-Andreis IA, Bosello O . Sagittal abdominal diameter as a practical predictor of visceral fat Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1998 22: 655–660.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Clasey JL, Bouchard C, Teates CD, Riblett JE, Thorner MO, Hartman ML, Weltman A . The use of anthropometric and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measures to estimate total abdominal and abdominal visceral fat in men and women Obes Res 1999 7: 256–264.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Smedman A, Vessby B . Conjugated linoleic acid reduces the body fat content in humans. (Abstract.) Chem Phys Lipids 1999 101: A152.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Nordhamn K, Södergren E, Olsson E, Karlström B, Vessby B, Berglund L . Reliability of anthropometric measurements in overweight and lean subjects: consequences for correlations between anthropometric and other variables Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2000 24: 652–657.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Williamson DF, Kahn HS, Worthman CM, Burnette JC, Russel CM . Precision of recumbent anthropometry Am J Hum Biol 1993 5: 159–167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Mårin P, Andersson B, Ottosson M, Olbe L, Kvist H, Holm G, Sjöström L, Björntorp P . The morphology and metabolism of intra abdominal adipose tissue in men Metabolism 1992 41: 1242–1248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Kissebah AH, Peiris AN, Evans D . Mechanisms associating body fat distribution to glucose intolerance and diabetes mellitus: window with a view Acta Med Scand 1989 723 (Suppl): 79–89.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Fujioka S, Matsuzawa Y, Tokunaga K, Tarui S . Contribution of intraabdominal fat accumulation to the impairment of glucose and lipid metabolism in human obesity Metabolism 1987 36: 54–59.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Lemieux S, Prudíhomme D, Nadeau A, Tremblay A, Bouchard C, Després JP . Seven-year changes in body fat and visceral adipose tissue in women. Association with indexes of plasma glucose-insulin homeostasis Diabetes Care 1996 19: 983–991.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. DeLany JP, Blohm F, Truett AA, Scimeca JA, West DB . Conjugated linoleic acid rapidly reduces body fat content in mice without affecting energy intake Am J Physiol 1999 276: (Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol 45) R1172–R1179.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Randle P, Garland P, Hales C, Newsholme E . The glucose-fatty acid cycle: its role in insulin sensitivity and the metabolic disturbances of diabetes mellitus Lancet 1963 i: 785–789.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Arner P . Differences in lipolysis between human subcutaneous and omental adipose tissues Ann Med 1995 27: 435–438.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Kavanaugh CJ, Liu KL, Belury MA . Effect of dietary conjugated linoleic acid on phrbol ester-induced PGE2 production and hyperplasia in mouse epidermis Nutr Cancer 1999 33: 132–138.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Richelsen B, Pedersen SB, Moller-Pedersen T, Bak JF . Regional differences in triglyceride breakdown in human adipose tissue: effects of catecholamines, insulin, and prostaglandin E2 Metabolism 1991 40: 990–996.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Gaskins HR, Hausman DB, Martin RJ, Hausman GJ . Evidence for abnormal prostaglandin synthesis in obese zucker rat cell cultures J Nutr 1989 119: 458–462.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Park Y, Storkson JM, Albright KJ, Liu W, Pariza MW . Evidence that the trans-10, cis-12 isomer of conjugated linoleic acid induces body composition changes in mice Lipids 1999 34: 235–241.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Reynisdottir S, Ellerfeldt K, Wahrenberg H, Lithell H, Arner P . Multiple lipolysis defects in the insulin resistance (metabolic) syndrome J Clin Invest 1994 93: 2590–2599.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Portocarrero CP, Bauman DE, Barbano DM, Zierath JR, Houseknecht KL . Regulation of UCP1 and UCP2 gene expression by dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats. (Abstract.) American Diabetes Association (ADA) annual meeting, San Diego 17–24 June 1999, Abstract 0021.

  50. Camirand A, Marie V, Rabelo R, Silva JE . Thiazolidinediones stimulate uncoupling protein-2 expression in cell lines representing white and brown adipose tissues and skeletal muscle Endocrinology 1998 139: 428–431.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Belury MA, Moya-Camarena SY, Liu K, Vanden Heuvel JP . Dietary conjugated linoleic acid induces peroxisome-specific enzyme accumulation and ornithine decarboxylase activity in mouse liver J Nutr Biochem 1997 8: 579–584.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Moya-Camarena SY, Heuvel JP, Blanchard SG, Leesnitzer LA, Belury MA . Conjugated linoleic acid is a potent naturally occurring ligand and activator of PPARalpha J Lipid Res 1999 40: 1426–1433.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Costet P, Legendre C, Moré J, Edgars A, Galtier P, Pineau T . Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α-isoform deficiency leads to progressive dyslipidemia with sexually dimorphic obesity and steatosis J Biol Chem 1998 273: 29577–29585.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Spiegelman BM, Flier JS . Adipogenesis and obesity: rounding out the big picture Cell 1996 87: 377–389.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Lefebvre AM, Laville M, Vega N, Riou JP, Gaal LV, Auwerx J, Vidal H . Depot-specific differences in adipose tissue gene expression in lean and obese subjects Diabetes 1998 47: 98–103.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Adams M, Montague CT, Prins JB, Holder J, Smith SA, Sanders L, Digby JE, Sewter CP, Lazar MA, Chatterjee KK, O'Rahilly S . Activator of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma have depot specific effects on human preadipocyte differentiation J Clin Invest 1997 100: 3149–3153.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Kelly IE, Han TS, Walsh K, Lean MEJ . Effects of a thiazolidinedione compound on body fat distribution of patients with type 2 diabetes Diabetes Care 1999 22: 288–293.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Mori Y, Murakawa Y, Okada K, Horikoshi H, Yokoyama J, Tajima N, Ikeda Y . Effect of troglitazone on body fat distribution in type 2 diabetic patients Diabetes Care 1999 22: 908–912.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the staff at the laboratory of the Department of Geriatrics for biochemical analysis of samples. We also would like to thank Natural Lipids Ltd AS, Hovebygda, Norway, for kindly supplying supplements used in this study. This study was supported by the Swedish Medical Research Council (grant no. 27X-13083).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences/Geriatrics, Clinical Nutrition Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

    U Risérus, L Berglund & B Vessby

Authors
  1. U Risérus
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L Berglund
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. B Vessby
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to U Risérus.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Risérus, U., Berglund, L. & Vessby, B. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduced abdominal adipose tissue in obese middle-aged men with signs of the metabolic syndrome: a randomised controlled trial. Int J Obes 25, 1129–1135 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801659

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801659

Keywords

Search

Advanced search

Quick links