I have repeatedly said this, through my previous articles, that, getting to know a gym supplement should be our first priority, no matter how hard we train and benefit from it, therefore. Even though a set bodybuilding schedule means that we need the supplements; still there is a need to understand the benefits as well as its side-effects to achieve our target.
Today, I will consider CLA or Conjugated linoleic acid, a natural supplement that is massively popular in the fitness industry. The sheer fact that it is a bodybuilding supplement or aids body fat loss, may be enough to convince us to go and buy one.
Yet, like I see it for myself, it is important to know the CLA side-effects as well as the CLA supplement side-effects. Yes, there may be a slight difference between the two. A person may be CLA intolerant in general and therefore, the CLA side-effects must be more severe for them.
Such people should be aware of CLA side-effects, related to being clinically fit to consume CLA or increase its consumption. You may read about the topic more using this link.
My article will focus on CLA supplement side effects, more specifically, it will focus on how CLA [supplement] overdose may affect you, the reason behind it and how they can be monitored by us so that we continue to benefit from the use of CLA supplement to build muscles.
Before I begin, let me tell you that CLA is considered to be a safe supplement and has so far shown no serious concerns for the fitness seekers. Then, why am I discussing CLA supplement side effects; read on to know further bodybuilders.
1, Fatigue
It is said that CLA may cause fatigue. Even though I did not find this particular CLA side-effect concerning us [bodybuilders], I still chose to include the point as a part of my discussion on CLA supplement side effects. My reason is simple- I do not want you to come across an internet search saying CLA causes fatigue. I should clarify the point here only.
Only and only if an individual is doing treatment with CLA, like for obesity, since it is a popular drug for weight loss, then, one needs to be wary of the fatigue fact. Such people, on a treatment with CLA, may feel unusually lethargic in doing their daily routine activities. Now, that does not sync with our image of CLA supplementation for training, does it?
On the contrary, CLA supplement works in an opposite direction, helping you burn more fat while you are sleep. That does sound like a bodybuilding benefit. In addition, the CLA supplement benefits include faster muscle recovery, reducing oxidative stress, strengthening immunity and so on, helping you get rid of the muscle fatigue instead.
2, Diarrhea
This is a mild CLA supplement side effect. Intestinal irritation can happen after you consume CLA supplement. However, if you do a CLA overdose, it may definitely happen.
My recommendation would be to start with small doses, further divided during the day. Let’s say, you begin with 3 grams (recommended dose is 1.8-7 grams to lose body fat, the average is 3 grams per day), then, you can take the supplement, three times in a day.
It is similar to what we do for other supplement doses. CLA must be taken 30 minutes before a meal or even during the meal. Like I said earlier, don’t do an overdose, so it is good to be mindful of your CLA diet sources. Refer to this chart for more information.
3, Stomach Discomfort
One of the CLA side effects can be stomach discomfort. It may further lead to nausea, normal appetite loss or other stomach-related effects like vomiting.
Again, be mindful of your CLA dose and take it before or after the meals. A lot depends upon your personal training schedule.
For example, if you are taking CLA supplement to reduce body fat, then too, it is important to match the daily dose with your exact schedule of exercising. Any supplement, if taken without adequate exercising, is bound to create an internal body reaction.
A supplement for weight loss should be a part of the whole gym effort and is not meant to be considered in isolation. If you need to depend upon a weight loss drug then why exercise?
So, depending upon your fitness goal, CLA supplement may prove to be effective as it does help in metabolising fat. It is always important to rotate or combine your supplements than depending upon a single supplement, necessarily leading to an overdose.
4, Metabolic syndrome
Many people take CLA supplements to reduce body fat and if reducing abdomen fat is your goal, then you may overdose on this supplement. Therefore, I picked up the point-metabolic syndrome or metabolic disorders.
Agreed, it is tempting to you and me to take CLA supplement since it reduces the stored fat in our body. However, it can soon turn into a serious CLA side-effect if you do not restrict you CLA feed every day.
There are two reasons identified for CLA causing a metabolic syndrome:
- CLA reduces HDL or good cholesterol too
- CLA may increase insulin resistance
Both these facts are related to the flip side of consuming CLA. Since CLA regulates the level of cholesterol and insulin activity, it may flush out good cholesterol or upset our body’s capability to use insulin properly.
Having said that, this CLA side-effect should not concern a bodybuilder necessarily except that one should not do a CLA overdose. To tell you, why it should not concern people doing strenuous training, the answer lies in the question itself.
Metabolic syndrome is a big concern for obese or overweight people and can only be tackled with maintaining a healthy lifestyle. So, the logic still remains; take CLA supplement dose as per your training requirement.
Should I or should I not?
My only purpose of doing a to-the-point discussion on CLA supplement side-effects is to put the CLA side-effects in fitness perspective. I did not deliberate upon the medical challenges of CLA, which you can refer to personally before deciding on a supplement.
To conclude, I would say that CLA supplement has rare side-effects. It does seem logical since CLA is a natural substance, which depends upon our own body mechanism, like initiating our body’s metabolic process to affect weight or fat loss and thus, stimulate muscle gain.
Some moderate CLA supplement side-effects may happen, so it is better to try in small doses first. However, these CLA side-effects are not severe or may anyhow warrantee discontinuation of the supplement. Only continues use of a supplement can wane off the CLA supplement side-effects. Do it with a purpose.
Remember, no supplement is a magic spell and we need to train harder to get the desired cuts, even when it means taking the supplement CLA which is full of benefits such as reducing stored fat.
It does sound convincing, but then, we are bodybuilders who like working out than depending upon a magical spell, correct me if I am wrong!
