You’ve probably seen CLA and L-Carnitine (in its many forms) marketed as miracle fat loss supplements. The truth is that neither of them will give you any real noticeable fat loss. That being said, some fat loss is better than no fat loss, and both of these ingredients have other benefits that might make them beneficial considering they are fairly cheap supplements!
I want to start with L-Carnitine-L-Tartrate (LCLT). This form of L-Carnitine does come with some claims to fat loss, but the reason you should look into taking it centers on testosterone and recovery times. There is some evidence showing that LCLT might increase testosterone uptake that can lead to more testosterone production as well. As we know, testosterone is great for building muscle mass! Whether directly, or indirectly, LCLT can possibly help reduce soreness and improve recovery times from weight training too! LCLT is absorbed fairly quickly and easily. This means that it can be taken multiple times per day and close to your workout. I suggest taking 3-5g total per day in 1-2g doses. Many will suggest a total of 2g per day, but I have often gone a little higher. I have used this ingredient taking 1g in the morning, 2g pre-workout, and 1g before bed with personal success. There are several companies out there that make this product and I have yet to come across any that are bad. So you can safely purchase this ingredient from any company and likely still get a high quality product!
CLA is one supplement ingredient that has a lot of mixed studies on it. Some studies show that it can be a very beneficial ingredient while others call it a waste of time and money. CLA is a cheap supplement so I always figured that if it did anything beneficial then it was likely worth it. A full months worth can be found for around $10-$15 and sometimes less. CLA stands for “conjugated linoleic acid”. This is a slightly different form of linoleic acid that comes from the omega-6 fatty acids that we can get from dairy and meat. CLA has had claims of increasing metabolism, fat loss, and improving muscle recovery times. Aside from these claims, CLA can potentially help lower cholesterol and triglycerides, improving insulin sensitivity, and strengthening the immune system. Even if CLA does a small part towards any one of these things then it is likely worth the money considering it is so cheap! I suggest taking 4-6g per day spaced out in 1-2g doses. A common practice that I’ve used in the past is 2g with my first meal of the day, 2g with my pre-workout meal, and 2g with my last meal of the day. As I previously mentioned, CLA is a cheap supplement and, regarding quality, you can’t really go wrong with any of the current brands on the market.
If you’ve hit a recent plateau, or are looking to add a little boost to your current supplement stack, then I highly suggest looking into these two supplements! They are cheap and easy products to use that just might be the edge you are looking for!
Let’s get better together!