In addition to creatine and caffeine, there are three other C-word supplements that can help boost your fitness and physique: CLA, carnitine, and collagen.
These nutrients offer a variety of benefits, from boosted fat metabolism to revved-up energy production to healthy joints. Get your shaker cup ready!
The Benefits Of CLA
Well-researched for its body composition benefits, CLA is safe and effective for anyone who’s fitness goals include maintaining healthy levels of body fat.
Short for conjugated linoleic acid, CLA is a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid naturally found in animal proteins like meat and dairy foods.
Related: 9 Possible Reasons Why Your Weight Loss Has Plateaued
Though the idea that a fat can actually help you stay trim may seem, well, counterintuitive, CLA isn’t just any old fat. In the body, CLA signals genes that suppress fat storage to ‘turn on’ and tells our cells to increase fat-burning, decrease fat storage, and may even increase insulin sensitivity.
So, not only does CLA reduce how much fat we store and promote how much fat we burn, but it also may promote healthy blood sugar—another plus for our waistlines and fitness.
According to a review published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, CLA has been shown to:
- Help reduce body fat
- Support immune function
- Promote resynthesis of glycogen (a form of energy stored in muscles)
- Support bone mineralization
Different as they may be, all of these factors support our fitness, waistline, and overall health.
Though CLA’s impact on our body fat is small, it’s still notable. One study published in Journal of Nutrition, for example, found that when postmenopausal women consumed 5.5 grams of mixed CLA daily for 16 weeks, they experienced better improvements in body weight and fat mass than those who did not.
To reap CLA’s benefits, you’ll need to consume at least three (but up to six) grams per day. Lucky for you, every serving of BodyTech’s CLA Carnitine Collagen powder contains three grams of CLA per serving.
The Benefits Of Carnitine
Technically called l-carnitine, carnitine is a natural compound made from two amino acids: lysine and methionine. (It’s also found in red meat.)
This compound’s job? To help our body turn fat into energy by transporting fatty acids into our cell’s mitochondria (basically energy factories), which turn them into chemical energy called ATP. (The whole process is called ‘fat metabolism.’)
According to a review published in Obesity Reviews, carnitine can help us maintain a healthy weight and achieve our body composition goals.
From a performance perspective, carnitine is extra important during cardio or endurance training, which our body fuels with fat more heavily than higher-intensity exercise.
Though many pre-workout supplements contain carnitine, most contain just small amounts. Aim for between one and three grams of carnitine per day. (Multiple divided doses are a-okay.)
BodyTech’s CLA Carnitine Collagen powder contains two grams of l-carnitine per serving.
The Benefits Of Collagen
Already an all-star in the beauty world, collagen offers notable fitness benefits, too.
The protein (the most abundant in our body) gives structure to our:
- Skin
- Muscles
- Joints
- Organs
- and more!
Though we may know it best for supporting healthy, supple skin (especially as we age), collagen is also a crucial component of properly-functioning joints. In fact, one Journal of Arthritis meta-analysis suggests that people with joint issues noticed improvements after supplementing with collagen.
Though collagen protein can’t replace your usual protein supplement (it doesn’t contain as many amino acids), it does make a great addition to your fitness supplement routine. Different collagen supplements provide different amounts of the protein per serving. However, much of the research on its joint benefits uses 10-plus grams per day.
Related: Which Type Of Collagen Supplement Is Right For You?
Most collagen products on store shelves today contain collagen peptides, which are small, easier-to-digest molecules. You’ll score six grams of collagen peptides (sourced from cows) in BodyTech’s CLA Carnitine Collagen powder.
Why CLA, Carnitine, And Collagen Together?
Though CLA, carnitine, and collagen may have different roles in our body, they all support our ability to stay active and fit (and trim!) throughout the years.
While people have traditionally taken different supplements for each of these nutrients, BodyTech’s CLA Carnitine Collagen powders simplify the process. The unflavored, Fruit Punch, and Blue Ice Pop powders are easy to add to your shaker cup. Pair them with your go-to pre- or post-workout formula, or sip solo throughout the day.
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