"In this video I weigh Rich Piana's controversial video on arm development and discuss why legendary bodybuilding writer & guru Jerry Brainum took exception with it. "
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Jerry Brainum - Fate of Fitness by Brian Ellicott
Great hour long interview with Jerry Brainum.
Jerry has been involved with the body-building and fitness industry since the 1960's.
We discuss training in the 60' and 70's with legends such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, Vince Gironda and the original Gold's gym.
We take a brief look at diet approaches of the day and the some of the infamous supplements that were available such as dissected liver tablets.
We rap up with the current state of the industry and Jerry's recommendations to avoid useless supplements.
"Natural Anabolics." e-book availiable at jerrybrainum.com.
Jerry's blog: http://appliedergogenics.blogspot.com...
For the latest information and research about nutrition, exercise science, ergogenic aids, hormonal therapy, anti-aging, fat-loss, and preventive health, check out Applied Metabolics newsletter at: www.appliedmetabolics.com
©,2015 Jerry Brainum. Any reprinting in any type of media, including electronic and foreign is expressly prohibited
Have you been ripped off by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Jerry Brainum's book Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com.
The Applied Ergogenics blog is a collection of articles written and published by Jerry Brainum over the past 20 years. These articles have appeared in Muscle and Fitness, Ironman, and other magazines. Many of the posts on the blog are original articles, having appeared here for the first time. For Jerry’s most recent articles, which are far more in depth than anything that appears on this blog site, please subscribe to his Applied Metabolics Newsletter, at www.appliedmetabolics.com. This newsletter, which is more correctly referred to as a monthly e-book, since its average length is 35 to 40 pages, contains the latest findings about nutrition, exercise science, fat-loss, anti-aging, ergogenic aids, food supplements, and other topics. For 33 cents a day you get the benefit of Jerry’s 53 years of writing and intense study of all matters pertaining to fitness,health, bodybuilding, and disease prevention.
See Jerry's book at http://www.jerrybrainum.com
Want more evidence-based information on exercise science, nutrition and food supplements, ergogenic aids, and anti-aging research? Check out Applied Metabolics Newsletter at www.appliedmetabolics.com
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Sunday, April 12, 2015
Jerry Brainum a conversation, publisher of Applied Metabolics By Dr. Michael Dusa
Conversation with
Jerry Brainum, publisher of Applied Metabolics By Dr. Michael Dusa
MD: Hey Jerry. Thanks so much for talking with me. You know, I've been reading your cutting-edge material in the physique magazines since I was a kid in the 70's. Much of what I know and practice to this day has been borne from the information you have disseminated.
JB: Thanks Mike. Yes, I have over 5,000 published articles in my name or under a pen name in over 35 years of involvement in the industry.
MD: So, as we always want to know, how did you get your start and what kindled your interest in bodybuilding, science, and nutrition?
JB: Well, I grew up in Brooklyn. When I was three, my mother simply threw me in the pool (laughs) and I started dog paddling. I became a swimmer, and as the years rolled by I won some AAU swim meets. Of course, the swimming coaches back then said that using weights would slow you down. One day at the community center where I'd swim in the Olympic sized pool, there was a throng of people blocking the hallway. Suddenly, the group parted in the middle and a guy in posing trunks came walking out. It was Jerry Winick. He had great arms and had placed second to Larry Scott in the Mr. Universe in either 1962 or 63. I was about 12 years old at the time, and (laughs) two days later I saw Jerry outside the center smoking a cigarette. I asked him how he got so big, and, of course, he told me he did so by lifting weights. He told me to go buy some muscle magazines, so I did.
MD: So swimming was not to be pursued?
JB: No. I bought the magazines...Joe Abbenda was on the cover of one of them...he was Mr. America. His routine was in the magazine and I started by doing variations of it. Of course around this time I saw Steve Reeves in Hercules on TV and that was it for me. I did my research, looked Reeves up and saw that he did breathing squats and pullovers, so I hit this routine hard. I added 7 inches to my chest at 13 years old because of this-I have that in common with Mike Katz-a great rib cage (laughs)!
MD: So where did you work out at such a young age?
Jerry Sporting great abs at age 16.
Jerry Sporting great abs at age 16.
JB: Well, yes, I was very young. I ended up taking the train to Sig Klein's gym in the city...very old school place. Sig himself came up to me and I told him I wanted to join. He told me that the gym was only opened 3 times per week and then you had to make an appointment to train. That was not adequate of course so I walked from there to Tom Minichiello's Mid-City Gym. Here I trained 6 days per week and went after school. Harold Poole was there and he was a fantastic guy. Freddy Ortiz was also there, but didn't look very inviting so I didn't approach him. I'd cut school to train. Tom asked me why I wasn't in class and I gave him some BS story as to why I wasn't. I swear this will sound crazy but I trained from 1 pm to 10 pm! I was following the star's routines and this was nuts. Val Vasilef was doing 70 sets per body part so I did, too. Ultimately, Tom called my school-I got suspended for that.
MD: Man, talk about over training!
JB: Yes. So I ended up at R&J Health Studio owned by Ron Covino, but it was run by Julie Levine. I trained there with Pete Caputo who was a great bodybuilder. 16 year old skinny Lou Ferrigno was there with his father Matty, who would bug the hell out of us for information.
JB: Well, yes, I was
very young. I ended up taking the train to Sig Klein's gym in the city...very
old school place. Sig himself came up to me and I told him I wanted to join. He
told me that the gym was only opened 3 times per week and then you had to make
an appointment to train. That was not adequate of course so I walked from there
to Tom Minichiello's Mid-City Gym. Here I trained 6 days per week and went
after school. Harold Poole was there and he was a fantastic guy. Freddy Ortiz
was also there, but didn't look very inviting so I didn't approach him. I'd cut
school to train. Tom asked me why I wasn't in class and I gave him some BS
story as to why I wasn't. I swear this will sound crazy but I trained from 1 pm
to 10 pm! I was following the star's routines and this was nuts. Val Vasilef
was doing 70 sets per body part so I did, too. Ultimately, Tom called my
school-I got suspended for that.
MD: Man, talk about
over training!
JB: Yes. So I ended
up at R&J Health Studio owned by Ron Covino, but it was run by Julie
Levine. I trained there with Pete Caputo who was a great bodybuilder. 16 year
old skinny Lou Ferrigno was there with his father Matty, who would bug the hell
out of us for information.
- See more at: http://bodybuilding-mauritius.blogspot.com/2015/03/a-conversation-with-jerry-brainum.html#sthash.LGgo6z2v.dpuf
JB: Well, yes, I was
very young. I ended up taking the train to Sig Klein's gym in the city...very
old school place. Sig himself came up to me and I told him I wanted to join. He
told me that the gym was only opened 3 times per week and then you had to make
an appointment to train. That was not adequate of course so I walked from there
to Tom Minichiello's Mid-City Gym. Here I trained 6 days per week and went
after school. Harold Poole was there and he was a fantastic guy. Freddy Ortiz
was also there, but didn't look very inviting so I didn't approach him. I'd cut
school to train. Tom asked me why I wasn't in class and I gave him some BS
story as to why I wasn't. I swear this will sound crazy but I trained from 1 pm
to 10 pm! I was following the star's routines and this was nuts. Val Vasilef
was doing 70 sets per body part so I did, too. Ultimately, Tom called my
school-I got suspended for that.
MD: Man, talk about
over training!
JB: Yes. So I ended
up at R&J Health Studio owned by Ron Covino, but it was run by Julie
Levine. I trained there with Pete Caputo who was a great bodybuilder. 16 year
old skinny Lou Ferrigno was there with his father Matty, who would bug the hell
out of us for information.
- See more at: http://bodybuilding-mauritius.blogspot.com/2015/03/a-conversation-with-jerry-brainum.html#sthash.LGgo6z2v.dpuf
Jerry at Venice Beach (1974)
MD: Funny! So you did gravitate to bodybuilding competition?
JB: Yes. I won the teenage Junior East Coast contest, and placed high in the teen IFBB Eastern America. This one was held at the old Brooklyn Academy of Music. I recall standing backstage and some guy next to me told me I had WAY too much oil on. So he wiped some off of me and put it oin himself! Oh, the guy was Frank Zane!
MD: Man that's unreal!
JB: It was crazy. You know I got the addresses of all the top bodybuilders and wrote to all of them. I ended up corresponding with Bill Pearl for a couple of years. He'd write me lengthy letters back. He was very gracious like that. In 1967 Pearl was guest posing at a Lurie show at Hunter College. I was on my way to see him personally when Leo Stern blocked my way. I told him my name and he was surprised, saying, "Oh! Go see him!" I introduced myself to Bill and he was surprised because by my letters to him he'd thought I'd be much older. He was very nice. Some years later, just before his victory in the 1971 Mr. Universe, I visited him at his gym in Pasadena. I did ask him about steroids, and he said he wouldn't touch them. Now, I do recall that between 1959 and 1961, a prolific change occurred in Bill's physique. I looked him in the eye and pressed him on the issue. He did admit to using them but did say that if he admitted that publically, that kids may start using them.
MD: What about your mother-how did she feel about you dropping swimming for the most unpopular pursuit at that time of bodybuilding?
JB: Well, she wasn't to worried about the swimming but my diet did bother her. You see, for the first 8 years of my life, I had what is now termed ADHD...back then they called it "Mental problems." I had a donut and coffee for breakfast and that was it-it wasn't a healthy diet at all. No vitamins. Omega 3's help prevent ADHD and of course I was consuming none of that. I wasn't stupid-I was reading by the age of three. But I did start eating huge steaks because that's what I heard you had to do. There was the awful Hoffman's "Protein of the Sea." My mother opened a can of dessicated liver, sniffed it and threw it out! Ultimately, she saw that I had lost weight and started doing better in school, and that is what she cared most about. School became very, very easy for me. I didn't even have to study to do well. I was bored.
MD: Amazing how things change with the understanding of nutrition and nutrients. So you were doing well in competition and graduated from high school. What came next?
JB: I moved to California and trained my first year at Vince Gironda's gym. I learned a lot from him, as irascible as he was! If you got on his bad side you'd be done. It was a trial by fire as he'd start off by insulting you. He came up to me on my first day and sniffed me. I told him I'd traveled there by bus. He said I smelled so bad I'd likely had no problem getting a seat. I laughed and rolled with it so he liked me.
MD: Were you there when Weider sent Arnold to train at Vince's?
JB: Oh yes. Earlier I had told Vince that the massive German was coming to train. Vince just said, "We will see." So, about an hour later, Arnold walks in, approaches Vince, and now I am standing right there, and Arnold announces his name and that he is Mr. Universe. Now, Vince is chomping on a ruddy old cigar, looks Arnold up and down, and simply stated, "Well, you look like a big, fat F--k to me." Vince always called Arnold "Cement Head," because he thought he was stupid. Of course, he was not. Now, Arnold was not used to this, and I swear he looked like he would cry. Vince walked off and I told Arnold that I thought he looked great. We were fast friends right there. Four days later I went with him to his small apartment that Weider had gotten for him, and there's some guy running all about wearing only boxer shorts. It was Paul Graham, the guy from Australia who promoted the 1980 Olympia-Arnold's friend of many years. After that I didn't go back there!
Arnold and Joe Weider at the
1968 IFBB Universe
1968 IFBB Universe
MD: So you basically met Arnold right after his loss to Zane in the 68 Universe in Florida.
JB: Yes. Arnold told me he was cheated, ripped off. He showed me the program from the show...Zane is on the cover of the program! He shows me the medallion that all the competitors in the show were given and wore on stage...there's an image of Zane on the medallion! Well, I did see the magazine coverage of the show, and Arnold looked like a big, white donut (laughs). Arnold called me with some nutrition questions a while back and we discussed this. Arnold allowed that Zane was superior to him at the time and he deserved the win.
MD: Man, that's fantastic stuff, Jerry. So you did end up at the original Gold's?
JB: Oh yes. Pete Caputo and I started getting there by bus in 1969. The gym was first, then the beach! I've been a member ever since.
MD: So you were around all the greats of the golden age. Must have been like the very pages of Muscle Builder came alive for you.
Jerry with Chris Dickerson and Doug Brignole
JB: Great times. Yes, there was comraderie...but that is all just a bit exaggerated. It wasn't always quite as close as you'd like to think. There was Serge Nubret, I remember he'd come to town with a guy named Paco, who would bring suitcases full of steroids and give it to the guys like he was giving candy to kids! Now, Serge, he had just a beautiful physique. You know he'd say he'd eat 12 pounds of horse meat per day. This wasn't true. Serge Nubret lied a lot. You'd see him using 8 pound dumb bells, and he'd be asked how the hell he'd gotten so big doing that. He'd just say he'd used heavy weights years earlier...now he'd just "refine." He'd lie in hopes of others doing this and getting small. There was a drug called Triacana, which was a form of T3, and he was telling guys at Gold's to do 15 per day! Waller and Bill Grant did it, but not Arnold. Well, they all lost a shitload of muscle. Serge was not a nice guy to those he saw as competitors.
Jerry never went bald.Picture with Lenda Murray
MD: So now that you were at the Mecca, how did things progress for you?
JB: I won the Teen Southern Cal in 1969, and beat Rod Koontz. In 70-71 I was blown away by guys like Clint Beyerle and Dale Adrian in the Mr. California. I picked up Jeff Smith as a partner and we had great, very heavy workouts. I never touched drugs but still could do 315 behind the neck and 475 on incline barbell press. I went in the Mr. Venice Beach that was won by Roger Callard. In 74 I went in the Mr. Western America at the Embassy Auditorium and this was promoted by Arnold Schwarzenegger. I took third, but what stands out to me is that only me and another blond guy were the only clean guys in the show. I had a decision to make. With drugs, I could go national. But, with both grandparents being bald, and being bald not being in vogue like it is today,I felt I'd go bald on the drugs. So at this point I retired. I will say this, though: If I had known then what I know now about steroids and ergogenic aids, I would have done them. They are not really so harmful if done properly.
MD: Well, I've been around the game for 39 years, since I was 12, and I know a good deal. However, every time I read your newsletter, I learn many new things. It's really amazing.
JB: Well, to me, reputation is everything. My Applied Metabolics Newsletter is 100% truth-no bullshit is included whatsoever. There is NO advertising. Part of the problem in the magazines now is that they are all driven by the advertising dollar. This disallows writers from basically writing whole truths. I can't do that. You are insane not to read my newsletter. You will save so much time and money. I'll say this-if I were around thirty years ago-I'd go to me for information.
www.appliedmetabolics.com
MD: I love it and I love to learn, as I know you do, too. I've already made some fine tuning and even a few drastic changes in my nutrient intake based on your research. Jerry, what kind of training have you had, if any?
JB: I have 53 years of study as well as practical and empirical experience. This alone gives the reader a huge head start and greatly reduces the learning curve. In college at Cal State Long Beach, I wanted to be an M.D. I just wasn't passionate enough for this, but ended up getting my B.S. in biochemistry. I was bored in school. I am a passionate learner, but I like to learn on my own. In class, I'd sit in back, wear sunglasses and fall asleep. You know, I love writing and research. I HATE the business end, though. Writers are treated like crap no matter what your talent level is. Except if you are Steven King!
MD: How did you get the writing career started?
One among the 1000s of articles written
by Jerry Brainum
by Jerry Brainum
JB: I wrote Bill Grant's first courses in 1982. Flex asked me to write two articles, and Joe Weider welcomed me aboard. I wrote for Muscle & Fitness and Flex, and always hand delivered articles to the Woodland Hills office. A guy named Ben Pesta approached me one day and said they were no longer accepting my articles. I was like, "What?" Well, Fred Hatfield, who was right down the hall and was the editor of "Sports Fitness," overheard this uncerimonious discharge and bought my four articles I had in hand on the spot. He hired me to write for him. A while later, Joe bumped into me in the hall and asked why I stopped writing for him. When I told him what happened he called Ben Pesta into his office along with me, and tore Pesta a new one. Joe hired me back right there. In the end, it wasn't personal between Pesta and I-just a business decision.
MD: Sounds like things were going great. Of course, changes started to creep in...
JB: Yes. AMI Group came in in the late 90's, and Joe was starting to slip health wise. He told me he was getting pushed out and didn't have the energy to deal with the new guys and help me at the same time. He did tell me that he loved me and that I was "In my will...you will be wealthy," which I know he said to about 50 people and that I'd get nothing. At his memorial we all laughed about this. I really liked Joe. He gave me a job when I didn't have one.
MD: What about McMahon and the WBF?
JB: Joe gave me a raise and health insurance with the spectre of the rise of the WBF. Granted, I had to pay for my own insurance, but it was health insurance, nonetheless. The WBF wanted me to come to Connecticut to write for their magazine. I was wary. I told them basically if they were around for three years, I'd come. But I was loyal to Joe. He always appreciated that. I will tell you for the 15 or so guys who crossed over, he never truly forgot or forgave them.
MD: Talk more about Applied Metabolics.
JB: Well, it is science based, but in an understandable, layman terms-like way that can be understood by most. I go over so much material...I write 35-40 pages for each monthly edition. I focus on health, longevity, how to continue to look young well into your years,nutrition, supplements, exercise science, ergogenic aids, fat-loss, hormonal therapy, and other topics.. You know, I did try to write on the anti-ageing tip for the magazines. John Balik of Iron Man told me his readership was 15-21 years of age-they wouldn't care to read such information. He finally let me focus one issue on this...it was a best seller.It was the "Over 40 Issue." I've been collecting information on longevity for years and years. Much earlier than when it became a popular movement.
I could also say, for those who want to "Maximize Their Vitality," this publication is for you, and at a very reasonable cost. It's only $10 per month, and you can opt out at any time. You know, I'd say 99% of people over 40 years of age want this type of information. I am aware that there are loads of free stuff on the internet, and much of it is misinformation. Sure, there is some good stuff...but where I differ, and this, I feel, is my biggest selling point, I am giving you "Jerry Brainum." You know, Frank Zane said, when I was still writing for the magazines, that my column was the only one he'd read. I think this speaks volumes. I put my personal reputation of 53 years on the line to help anyone avoid mistakes. With the 6 months of newsletter material I have already provided...read it and you will be an expert. I request studies regularly, from Australia, China, all over the world. I love it. I love learning and research.
MD: Jerry, I gotta tell ya...as you know...there is a proliferation of a most nefarious syndrome out and about today...it's known as "Bro Science."
JB: Well, everything has gone back to shit, if you really want to know the truth. These folks have little if any writing experience. Some try to be overly technical to prove their imaginary superiority or intellect, and you can honestly not tell what the hell they are saying. I make complex processes and information simple to grasp. I mean, there is no way sometimes to avoid a technical word, but if I use one, I'll explain it.
MD: The eternal elephant in the room-steroids.
JB: Yes. Bodybuilder's and athletes-they either can't get them, can't afford them, or are afraid of them. So they want supplement companies to produce "HGH Replacement" supplements. And they do. In 2014 Obama passed a new steroid act that bans designer steroids. In 2004 the bill passed outlawing the prohormones. With designer steroids, there was a manipulation of an old drug from 1962 called Superdrol-there was a slight change in its structure that increased its absorbtion but also led to liver problems. No more slapping of wrists by big brother. A company gets busted on this and the fine is 2.5 million bucks and many years in jail. That's enough to shut nearly any company down.
So, in reaction to this, what comes next is something I'll be writing about in Applied Metabolics very soon-Herbal Plant Based Testosterone Boosters. This is coming, you'll see. Much of the time, the problem is testing is only done on mice or rats. So, we don't know what these compounds will do once they find their way into the human form. There is "Zero" relaiblity/evidence in these studies. They will charge you $70 a bottle...and yes, rip you off. I'll be writing about this, of course.
MD: I'm currently taking, in addition to other supplements, DHEA, and my pre-workout combo of Beet Juice, L-Citrulline and Creatine monohydrate. Your thoughts here?
JB: Yes. The DHEA should be taken every day. Its wise to have your levels tested via blood draw prior to use and during. You get a drop in testosterone after the age of 30, so this can help if you have Low-T.
That pre-workout combination is a good one. In bodybuilding there is really no need to load the creatine. Its a good back up for ATP production. The L-Citrulline is converted to Arginine in the kidneys, and Arginine is a precursor to Nitrous Oxide, so this increases blood flow. The beet juice increases plasma levels of nitrous oxide.
MD: Refreshing that I am not throwing money away. As I write now full time I understand money comes at a premium! You have worked with and helped some famous folks, Jerry.
JB: Yes. Oscar DeLahoya...I did his nutrition programs for several years; Mayweather as well, many others. Anybody can read about these exploits on the Applied Metabolics home page under my bio.
MD: I laugh now because I told you I'd read up on the newsletters before talking. A daunting yet enrichening task...there is SO much information! What are your goals with all of this , Jerry?
JB: Well, I want to educate people, I want to discern for them fact from fiction. I want to save them time and money which are precious and easy to waste and fritter away. I want to give them something to improve their life, people do not want to be decrepit...anti- ageing information is key. Understand...this information is NOT available anywhere else. I am not duplicating the magazines. I churn out 35-40 pages...every month.
I don't care who you are, I guarantee you will learn something every issue. I myself do.
MD: Jerry, It's been a pleasure and an honor. I look forward to working with you and learning from you. Please visit www.appliedmetabolics.com to learn more about Jerry and to sign up for his monthly newsletter.
JB: Thank you, Michael
Have you been ripped off by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Jerry Brainum's book Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com.
Want more evidence-based information on exercise science, nutrition and food supplements, ergogenic aids, and anti-aging research? Check out Applied Metabolics Newsletter at www.appliedmetabolics.com.
The Applied Ergogenics blog is a collection of articles written and published by Jerry Brainum over the past 20 years. These articles have appeared in Muscle and Fitness, Ironman, and other magazines. Many of the posts on the blog are original articles, having appeared here for the first time. For Jerry’s most recent articles, which are far more in depth than anything that appears on this blog site, please subscribe to his Applied Metabolics Newsletter, at www.appliedmetabolics.com. This newsletter, which is more correctly referred to as a monthly e-book, since its average length is 35 to 40 pages, contains the latest findings about nutrition, exercise science, fat-loss, anti-aging, ergogenic aids, food supplements, and other topics. For 33 cents a day you get the benefit of Jerry’s 53 years of writing and intense study of all matters pertaining to fitness,health, bodybuilding, and disease prevention.
See Jerry's book at http://www.jerrybrainum.com
Check out Applied Metabolics at www.appliedmetabolics.com
Please share this article with your friends on facebook
By Dr. Michael Dusa
- See more at: http://bodybuilding-mauritius.blogspot.com/2015/03/a-conversation-with-jerry-brainum.html#sthash.LGgo6z2v.dpuf
A Conversation with
Jerry Brainum, publisher of Applied Metabolics
By Dr. Michael Dusa
- See more at: http://bodybuilding-mauritius.blogspot.com/2015/03/a-conversation-with-jerry-brainum.html#sthash.LGgo6z2v.dpuf
A Conversation with
Jerry Brainum, publisher of Applied Metabolics
By Dr. Michael Dusa
- See more at: http://bodybuilding-mauritius.blogspot.com/2015/03/a-conversation-with-jerry-brainum.html#sthash.LGgo6z2v.dpuf
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Is Conjugated Linoleic Acid Anabolic? By Jerry Brainum
Conjugated linoleic acid is an isomer of linoleic acid, an essential
omega-6 fatty acid. Structurally, CLA contains both cis and trans fat
configurations, but it doesn’t function in the body in the negative way
that trans fats normally do. In fact, many health benefits are associated with CLA, including cancer prevention as well as prevention of both cardiovascular disease and obesity.
Those potent effects were initially noted in a mouse experiment conducted in 1979. A meat extract was applied to a rodent’s skin, followed by a strong carcinogen, or cancer-causing substance. The meat extract blocked tumor formation in the mice by 20 percent. There was something clearly present in meat that seemed to help prevent cancer.
It wasn’t until 1987 that the mysterious ingredient was isolated by Michael Pariza at the University of Wisconsin. He discovered it in, of all things, Cheez-Whiz, and named it conjugated linoleic acid, which reflects its complex structure. It turns out that both meat and dairy products are rich in CLA, and much of their health effects can be directly attributed to it.
One of the richest natural sources of CLA is egg yolks, which are routinely discarded by many misguided bodybuilders. In terms of meat, grass-fed beef is far richer in CLA than beef produced from grain-fed animals—one of the primary reasons that grass-fed beef is considered nutritionally superior.
Not long after its isolation in 1987, a few supplement companies began to market CLA supplements. They usually contained a 1-1 ratio of two CLA isomers, namely cis-9, trans-11, known as C9, and trans-10, cis-12—C10. That’s important because further research with CLA showed that those two isomers have often-opposing actions. Unlike its parent compound, linoleic acid, CLA is not considered essential in human nutrition.
Some studies show that CLA may exert antioxidant activity because it promotes in-the-body antioxidants, such as catalase and glutathione peroxidase. As noted, much of the animal research has focused on its anticancer effects. Although having antioxidant properties would aid in cancer prevention, CLA also stimulates the activity of a specific gene that has a tumor-suppressive effect, and it appears to modify several inflammatory mediators in the body called cytokines. Since cancer is known to have an inflammatory component, the significance is obvious.
Perhaps the most controversial aspect of CLA is its effect on body composition, including building muscle and losing fat, the two primary goals of most bodybuilders. On paper CLA would seem to provide a potent fat-loss effect through several mechanisms. For one thing, it is known to upgrade the activity of several substances in the body that speed fat burning and the conversion of fat calories into energy. Here’s where differences in the two basic CLA isomers come in. While C10 is known to boost fat burning and help retain lean mass, it is also associated with insulin resistance. C9 , on the other hand, lowers insulin resistance. Thus, it makes sense that most commercial CLA supplements contain both isomers in balanced levels, since one would likely cancel the possible side effects of the other.
The published studies that have examined body composition changes with CLA are paradoxical. Generally, however, it seems to work better at reducing higher bodyfat in animals than it does in humans. One reason is that the dose of CLA supplied in animal studies is comparatively far larger than what human subjects get. While human-based studies have averaged three to six grams of CLA daily, to get the equivalent dose of what is used in animal studies, human trials would have to involve 50 grams a day or more. That could lead to problems, since similarly to other natural substances, CLA has a U-shaped curve of effectiveness—in massive doses its antioxidant effect converts into a pro-oxidant effect, which can damage cells and cause cell mutations. The same is true for resveratrol, another highly touted natural substance.
Again, human studies done with CLA have shown either small losses of bodyfat or no changes at all. That may be due to not only the smaller doses but also the differences in subjects. The animal studies usually feature young, growing animals that may respond better to CLA than the obese older females who form the majority of subjects in human published studies. And as noted, one form of CLA may be more effective at altering body composition than the other.
In relation to exercise, the ergogenic effect of CLA is considered unimpressive. In one study sedentary men and women took five grams a day of CLA and also engaged in a weight-training program. They were tested for the effects of CLA on body composition, strength and muscle -breakdown markers.
The study lasted for seven weeks. Those using the CLA supplement showed a slight but significant increase in lean mass plus a greater loss of bodyfat than those getting a placebo. The supplemented male subjects also increased their bench press strength more than those getting the placebo. CLA appeared to exert anticatabolic effects in muscle as well, judging by a decreased excretion of muscle-breakdown products.
It sounds good, but in another placebo-controlled study, the subjects were not sedentary but, rather, experienced weight trainers. Once again, the focus was on changes in body comp, strength and muscle catabolism induced by CLA supplementation. The subjects got six grams daily while engaged in a weight-training program during the monthlong study. In this case the results showed no changes in body comp, lean mass or markers of muscle breakdown in those taking CLA compared to the placebo group. The subjects did, however, report some ergogenic effects in their training due to the CLA.
Based on the small amount of data suggesting that CLA may provide anticatabolic effects in exercising people, a more recent study tested its effects on testosterone.1 It had both an in vitro and in vivo design: The in vitro, or test tube, portion involved exposing isolated testicular Leydig cells from rats to CLA. (The Leydig cells are where testosterone is synthesized in men.) The cells were treated with varying concentrations of CLA for 24 and 48 hours. The results showed increased testosterone concentration in the cells at the 48-hour mark.
The in vivo, or “in the body,” portion of the study featured 10 resistance-trained men who got either six grams a day of CLA or a placebo for three weeks. They provided blood samples both before and after their weight workout, and they were tested for total testosterone as well as sex-hormone-binding globulin, which is the protein carrier of testosterone in the blood. Those in the CLA group showed a large boost in testosterone after the workout, while those in the placebo group got a moderate rise, which is not a surprise, as exercise alone can boost testosterone.
How might CLA increase testosterone? It has to do with a protein called perilipin, which modifies the body’s use of fat. Perilipin promotes the activity of the enzyme cholesterol esterase, which in turn promotes free cholesterol, the basic substrate for the formation of steroid hormones, including testosterone.
Simply put, CLA may kick-start the “factory line” in the Leydig cells that produces testosterone. In the men who exercised and used CLA, testosterone increased more after exercise than what the placebo group experienced, while levels of cortisol also rose. That was related to the exercise itself, since exercise is a form of stress. Even so, levels of cortisol, estrogen and sex-hormone-binding globulin didn’t differ between the placebo and CLA groups.
What is confusing is that in one section of the study the researchers say that CLA promoted a significant increase in testosterone in the exercising men, while elsewhere they say, “CLA supplementation does not significantly increase testosterone synthesis after an unmarkedly stressful bout of acute resistance exercise.” So which is it? Does CLA promote a rise in testosterone, or doesn’t it? It may be a late-occurring effect, since the test tube part of the study showed that CLA didn’t boost testosterone release until after two days. At this point the effects of CLA remain as confusing and obscure as ever. For example, what would be the correct dose to boost testosterone? No one yet knows.
There are, however, good reasons not to go overboard with CLA. For example, the C10 form has been linked to increased oxidative stress, increased incidence of gallstones and a lowering of DHA by 25 percent in animal hearts. DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that, when increased in heart tissue, may exert protective effects. Lowering it could prove detrimental to heart function. Women with suspected breast cancer or the genes for breast cancer should also avoid using CLA, despite its reputation as a cancer preventive. In truth, however, here is little evidence that the small amount of CLA found in supplements is dangerous to health. That would be about three to six grams taken daily.
1 Macaluso, F., et al. (2012). Effect of conjugated linoleic acid on testosterone levels in vitro and in vivo after an acute bout of resistance exercise. J Str Cond Res. 26:1667-74.
Editor’s note: Jerry Brainum has been an exercise and nutrition researcher and journalist for more than 25 years. He’s worked with pro bodybuilders as well as many Olympic and professional athletes. To get his new e-book, Natural Anabolics—Nutrients, Compounds and Supplements That Can Accelerate Muscle Growth Without Drugs, visit www.JerryBrainum.com. IM
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©,2015 Jerry Brainum. Any reprinting in any type of media, including electronic and foreign is expressly prohibited.
Have you been ripped off by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Jerry Brainum's book Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com.
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