Herb & supplement monograph

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) Drug Interactions: The Bottom Line

From the HelloPharmacist Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

Based on the available evidence, the overall risk of a clinically significant Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) drug interaction appears low for most people, though a few situations deserve a closer look. None of the listed interactions are rated major, and even the moderate ones rest mostly on theoretical or early-stage evidence rather than proven harm in people.

Interactions deserving the most attention

The interaction we watch most closely involves antihypertensive drugs, and ramipril in particular, because human research shows CLA can add to ramipril's blood pressure lowering effect. That extra drop could matter for someone whose blood pressure is tightly managed. There is also a theoretical bleeding concern with anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs, since some evidence suggests CLA modestly reduces how well platelets clump together, but no one knows yet whether that small effect matters in real life.

What the rest of the list means

CLA appears alongside a long list of medications, but a long list does not mean every combination is harmful. Most of these pairings trace back to just a few broad concerns, largely theoretical ones, and the graded evidence has not shown clinically meaningful problems in people for most of them.

Check your medications against Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla)

Based on HelloPharmacist’s Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) interaction data and reviewed under our editorial standards.

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla)

289 medications have a known interaction with Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla), graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 3 drug categories Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) interacts with

Anticoagulant/antiplatelet DrugsAntihypertensive DrugsRamipril (altace)

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, CLA may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Some clinical evidence suggests that intake of CLA reduces platelet aggregation by approximately 10%. The clinical significance of this effect is unclear.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Antihypertensive Drugs

Theoretically, taking CLA with antihypertensive drugs might increase the risk of hypotension.
Animal research suggests that a particular form of CLA reduces systolic blood pressure. Also, some clinical research shows that CLA enhances the blood pressure-lowering effects of ramipril, an antihypertensive drug.

Likelihood Possible Evidence A

Ramipril (Altace)

Theoretically, taking black seed with ramipril might increase the risk of hypotension.
Some clinical research shows that CLA enhances the blood pressure-lowering effects of ramipril.

Likelihood Possible Evidence A

Monograph

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla): Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

CLA is a fatty acid found naturally in meat and dairy, and supplements are usually made from safflower oil. While it is popular for fat loss and body composition, research results are mixed and any real-world effect appears small at best. It is likely safe for short-term use in most healthy adults, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before starting it.

Part used: Fatty acid (often sourced from safflower or sunflower oil)
Common forms: Softgels, capsules, oil

People commonly use it for

Weight loss
Improving body composition
Sports and muscle support
Reducing inflammation
General wellness

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Generally well tolerated short-term, but long-term safety is not fully established.

PregnancyLikely Safe

When used orally in amounts found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of CLA when used in medicinal amount...

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingLikely Safe

When used orally in amounts found in foods. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of CLA when used in medicinal amount...

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, is a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid. It is found naturally in small amounts in the meat and milk of cows, sheep, and other grazing animals. It is also present in small amounts in some plant oils.

Most CLA supplements are not taken directly from animal foods. Instead, manufacturers usually make them by changing safflower or sunflower oil to create a CLA-rich product. CLA is sold mainly as softgels or capsules and is marketed for weight loss and body composition.

How it works

Researchers think CLA may affect how the body stores and burns fat. In laboratory and animal studies, certain forms of CLA appear to influence enzymes involved in fat metabolism and may change the size or number of fat cells.

CLA may also affect signals related to inflammation and the immune system. However, much of this work has been done in cells or animals, and the results do not always carry over to people. The exact way CLA works in humans is still not fully understood.

Effectiveness

Does Conjugated Linoleic Acid (cla) work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 17 uses evaluated

1 Possibly effective 3 Leans ineffective 13 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

Possibly Effective Obesity