With so many different “weight loss” supplements out there on the market, it isn’t always easy to determine what you really need and why.
For many people, it can be truly overwhelming. Here at UNI KEY, our Customer Service team fields lots of questions every day, and one of the most common is the difference between two of our signature Fat Flush supplements, “GLA” and “CLA.” And, with only one letter apart, the confusion is understandable!
So, should you take one or both of them? How are they similar and how are they different?
GLA (gamma linolenic acid) and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) are omega-6 fatty acids which help burn fat, promoting weight loss. Both are good for preventing weight gain after you’ve lost weight, and both help to control appetite. However, they accomplish these goals differently.
GLA raises your metabolism by making brown fat (adipose tissue) in the body burn calories for energy and to keep your body warm. Usually, brown fat is not as active in overweight people and that’s where GLA comes in. It can help activate brown fat and burn off the ugly “white” fat that accumulates under your skin all over your body. GLA is also a good appetite suppressant since it raises the levels of serotonin so you feel full and eat less. A study at the Welsh National School of Medicine in Cardiff, found that participants lost between 9 to 11 pounds in 6 weeks while taking GLA.
In addition to its “interior” affects, GLA also has exterior benefits! The prostaglandin it produces is an anti-inflammatory and diuretic, and helps the skin maintain tone and stay moisturized so it’s not saggy after and during weight loss.
Our GLA-90 formula contains 90mg of GLA from cold pressed black currant seed oil.
CLA is especially good at burning visceral fat, which is fat in between the muscles, and is especially helpful for belly fat. Research published in the International Journal of Obesity (August 2001) found that a group of overweight men taking CLA lost mostly belly fat and reduced their waistlines by 1 inch without making any diet or lifestyle changes. In a similar study, women lost mostly belly and thigh fat with CLA and reduced their waistlines by 1.2 inches.
While CLA helps burn fat, it helps gain lean muscles at the same time. A year-long research study performed by the Scandinavian Clinical Research Group found that overweight people lost 9% of their body fat and increased their lean muscle mass by 2% just by taking CLA with no changes in their diet or lifestyle. And, a University of Wisconsin-Madison study concluded that CLA helped to prevent weight gain in people who had previously lost weight, when they did gain weight while taking CLA, half of the weight gained back was lean muscle! How does it work? CLA inhibits an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase which is involved in the storage of fat into fat cells. It keeps little fat cells from getting big, according to Michael Pariza, director of the Food Research Institute who conducted the University of Wisconsin Study.
CLA also helps reduce your appetite, especially when you are not getting enough sleep. It lowers levels of leptin when is raised with sleep deficiency and makes you hungrier. Another study showed the leptin levels dropped 20-35% in 24 months in those taking CLA.
Available at the study-backed dose of 1000 mg per softgel, our CLA-1000 formula is derived from safflower oil.
So, should you take one or both of these amazing omega-6s? You decide.
I’ve taken both of them for years to help maintain my weight and have a flat stomach in my 60s. They work!