A hypothetical scenario: This winter I gained 18 pounds from being cooped up inside and snacking on comfort foods like macaroni ‘n’ cheese.

Now I’m desperate to lose the weight before beach season arrives, so I’d like to try a supplement. But I get confused when faced with aisles and aisles of pills that promise fat loss. What do you recommend?

Answer: In the U.S., Alli is the only FDA approved weigh loss pill which doesn’t require a prescription. However, given Alli’s potential side effects, one should think long and hard if it’s actually worth using it.

In my opinion, barring a medical condition, it’s virtually impossible to beat a sensible diet and exercise program.

Notwithstanding this fact, according to Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., there is a supplement that delivers amazing weight loss results. Here is what she says:

“A supplement that delivers amazing results is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). People who took 3 grams daily lost 10 percent of their belly fat and kept the weight off without struggle, according to research at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

(In the same study, people who didn’t take CLA gained weight.) CLA impairs the fat-absorbing enzyme lipoprotein lipase, and since less fat is stored, existing fat is burned for fuel.”

Amazing results? Hardly. While CLA does seem to exhibit limited “fat burning” properties, there is no credible scientific evidence that it can spot reduce fat deposits. That is what FDA approved laser liposuction (a.k.a. SmartLipo) does – but not CLA.

Further, the evidence that CLA impairs lipoprotein lipase is weak, that is because its mechanism of action is not fully understood at the moment and more studies are needed in this area before it can be recommended as an effective weight loss aid.