Tonalin conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, is an omega-6 fatty acid that is found in foods such as full-fat dairy products and grass-feed beef. 

Tonalin is a brand name of CLA. It’s usually taken in supplement form to enhance weight loss and improve body composition. 

Evidence indicates that CLA supplementation can provide numerous benefits.

The main benefit of CLA supplementation is its ability to enhance weight loss. CLA increases the activity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase, an enzyme that transports fat into the mitochondria of your cells, where it’s burned as fuel. In fact, researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health reviewed the scientific literature regarding the effect of CLA on fat loss.

They concluded that 3.2 grams of CLA per day is effective for reducing body fat. Their research was reported in the May 2007 issue of the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.”

One trial, monitoring the benefits of CLA supplementation on muscle development, showed that consuming 7.2 grams of CLA per day, when accompanied by a bodybuilding regimen, led to an increase in skin-fold corrected arm girth, leg press gains, and overall body mass, as compared to a placebo group which performed the same routine without CLA.