Fitness blogger claims FAT supplements are her secret to losing weight… so is it backed up by science?
Camilla Akerberg says CLA burns fat and helps to build muscle mass
A FITNESS blogger has said she takes FAT supplements to help her lose weight - so is there any truth to her claims?
Aussie personal trainer Camilla Akerberg takes pills containing Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), a fatty acid found in beef and dairy products.
CLA is made by chemically altering vegetable oils and Camilla says it's her secret to burning fat fast, as well as building muscle mass.
Posting on her blog, the 27-year-old wrote: "Several studies have shown that CLA indeed can help you lose fat through several different anti-obesity mechanisms like aid with decreasing calorie consumption, increasing fat burning, stimulating fat breakdown in the body and inhibiting the storage of fat in the body.
"CLA has been shown to help with fat loss, improving body composition and even building lean muscle mass."
So is there any truth in this?
CLA was also found to enhance the immune system - although volunteers did have changes in their heart disease risk factors.
While in a Norwegian study, cited in the , one group of healthy volunteers were given a daily dose of CLA and another group were given a placebo. Both groups were told not to diet.
After 12 weeks, there was no significant difference in weight loss between the two groups, but those taking the CLA had lost more body fat.
"It’s about eating the right nutrition in the right amounts that suits your body in its current state at that specific time, your activity level and your goal."
If you don't eat enough, Camilla added, "your metabolism will slow down and your hormones that tell your body to burn fat will drop."
She advised people to "eat nutritious foods that your body responds well to and avoid skipping meals.
"Starting your day with a 300-500 calorie breakfast will kick-start your body to burn calories for the day! Keeping your hormone profile in a healthy state is a major key for weight loss."
In related news, you’ll never guess the age of this fitness blogger who says her teenage sons are mistaken for her boyfriend.
And another social media star who is nine months pregnant has flashed her almost FLAT stomach… and people can’t believe she is about to give birth.