In the past decade, the potential beneficial effects of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) on human health have been widely investigated and proven effective in weight management. Several studies have demonstrated that CLA can positively affect body mass and has a beneficial effect on lean muscle mass. PhD CLA contains the highest concentration of the two active CLA isomers, c9,t11 and t10,c12, that have been identified as being helpful in reducing body fat.

In non-obese and overweight people, CLA reduced body fat mass and body weight. It has been shown that CLA prevents fat from being deposited into the cells. It appears that CLA reduces the activity of lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme that is needed for fat cells to take up fats from the bloodstream. The storage of fat is therefore reduced, leading to significant reductions in fat mass and increased lean muscle mass.

In humans, supplementation with CLA increased lean body mass when combined with exercise. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that overweight people in an anabolic state (i.e. gaining weight after a weight loss diet) preferentially gain lean mass, thus improving body composition. It has recently been demonstrated that long-term intake of CLA can also significantly increase lean body mass and improve weight loss in overweight subjects without any diet or exercise intervention.

Additionally, PhD CLA has also been shown to reduce the side effects from a low calorie diet, such as skin rashes, irritability, depression, and hair loss.