Believe it: Fat supplements can get you lean and ripped. Here’s how.

›› Eating fat makes you fat: It used to be gospel. Now, we know better.

The bias against all types of dietary fat was drilled into us in the 1970s. That’s when the U.S. government concluded that since dietary fat contains more calories per gram than any other nutrient (fat has nine calories per gram compared to the four calories per gram that protein and carbs contain) that dietary fats must be the cause of the dawning obesity epidemic. This led to the very misguided low-fat diet craze that we are just now finally crawling out from under.

It’s time to set the record straight for good. Thanks to pioneers such as Dr. Atkins and the plethora of research studies showing that fat is not the sole cause of obesity, healthy dietary fats are gaining a second life as a beneficial part of the American diet.

Today we know that one of the best ways to get and stay lean, not to mention healthy, is to focus on keeping protein high, carbs low, and fats — the right kind, of course — moderate. The right fats are categorized as healthy fats and, in a nutshell, include unsaturated fats, especially the omega-3 variety. In addition to eating sources of healthy fats such as salmon, olive oil, avocados and nuts, there are numerous fat supplements that you can take to help you stay healthy, drop body fat and gain muscle. Here’s your ultimate guide to Muscle & Body’s “phat” fat supplements.

Fish Oil: Its Wonders Never Cease
One of the most critical things you can do for yourself, whether your goal is to gain muscle, lose fat, or just enhance your health, is to take a fish-oil supplement several times daily. Fish oil provides the essential omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These fatty acids offer up a multitude of health, performance and physique benefits, including reduced risk of certain cancers (colon, prostate and breast), diabetes, arthritis, depression, heart disease and stroke. They also enhance immune and brain function. On the physique front, omega-3s help to prevent muscle breakdown, increase muscle growth, enhance joint healing and encourage fat loss. One of the major methods behind these benefits of omega-3 fats is their conversion to beneficial prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are hormonelike substances that affect many processes in the body. They enhance skin, blood-vessel and joint health as well as help to build muscle mass and promote thermogenesis (fat burning).

How to get phat: Take 1–2 g with food two or three times per day for a total of up to 6 g per day.

Flaxseed oil makes a great addition to protein shakes taken before bed to promote muscle growth while you sleep.

Flaxseed Oil: Another Omega Option
Flaxseed oil is one of the best ways for vegans to get the same essential fats found in fish oil and thus the benefits they impart. However, flaxseed varies somewhat from fish oil. Flaxseed oil does not contain EPA and DHA as fish oil does. Instead, flaxseed oil provides another omega-3 fatty acid, alpha linolenic acid. When you consume alpha-linolenic acid, your body has to convert it to EPA and DHA. But how much of it gets converted to EPA and DHA may depend on your body. According to several research studies, the amount of alpha-linolenic acid that is converted to EPA may vary anywhere from 1–60%, while the amount converted to DHA may vary from 25–65%. Therefore, the better option is to supplement with fish oil for your omega-3 fatty acids unless you have opposition to consuming fish oil, as is the case for vegans.

In addition, flaxseed oil makes a great addition to protein shakes taken before bed for all those interested in enhancing health and promoting muscle growth. Flaxseed oil adds a slight nutty flavor to the shake while the fats slow digestion of the protein during the night, helping to stave off muscle breakdown during sleep, when your body fasts.

How to get phat: For those not taking fish oil, go with 1–3 tablespoons of flaxseed oil two or three times per day with meals. For those supplementing with fish oil, also consider adding 1–3 tablespoons of flaxseed oil to your nighttime protein shake or meal. (Note: Flaxseed oil is best kept refrigerated once opened.)

Omega-9: Drizzle It On Your Greens
While omega-3 fatty acids are the most critical of the omega fatty acids, omega-9s also provide some benefits, such as helping to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease as well as having anti-inflammatory properties that enhance joint healing. Unlike the omega-3s, omega-9 fatty acids are not essential fats because the body can produce omega-9s on its own. Omega-9 fatty acids are found in olive oil, so if you frequently use olive oil for cooking and salad dressings, you are likely getting enough omega-9s. If not, then consider adding them to your supplement regimen.

How to get phat: If your diet does not frequently include olive oil, then go with a supplement that provides all three omega-fatty acids — omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 — and follow package instructions. You can also add a tablespoon of olive oil to your nighttime protein shake.

CLA keeps your metabolic rate higher throughout the day and night, enhancing strength and MASS gains by preventing muscle breakdown.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): A Fatty Fat-Fighter
CLA is a naturally occurring group of derivatives of the omega-6 fatty acid, linoleic acid. The healthy fat CLA is found naturally in meats and dairy products. However, the amount of CLA in conventionally farmed animals has dropped by as much as 75% due to grain feeding as opposed to grass feeding. This is one reason why it’s worth the extra cash to buy organic grass-fed dairy and beef, which contain much higher levels of CLA.

However, even if you eat plenty of organic dairy and beef, you’ll still want to supplement with CLA. Research confirms that CLA offers numerous health benefits, which include helping to fight heart disease, certain cancers such as skin, colorectal, breast, lung and  prostate cancers, and even diabetes. CLA also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, enhances the immune system and boosts bone density. Yet even more exciting than all the health benefits is the fact that research shows that CLA enhances fat loss while simultaneously boosting muscle growth. CLA works to boost fat loss by inhibiting the enzyme lipoprotein lipase (LPL), which normally takes up fat from the bloodstream and stores it as body fat. CLA also works to keep the metabolic rate higher throughout the day and at night. CLA enhances muscle growth and strength gains by preventing muscle breakdown.

How to get phat: Look for CLA products that provide cis-9, trans-11CLA and trans-10, cis-12 CLA isomers. These isomers are the ones shown in studies to be most effective. Take 1–3 g of CLA with breakfast, lunch and dinner for a total of up to 9 g per day.

Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA): Another Awesome Acid
Like CLA, GLA is derived from linoleic acid. You probably get more than enough omega-6s in your diet since this omega is found in vegetable oils, but you are likely deficient in GLA. The reason for this is that many oils are hydrogenated, a process that inhibits the conversion of linoleic acid to GLA. Since GLA is the precursor for many beneficial prostaglandins, having an inadequate supply of GLA production results in inadequate prostaglandin production. This ultimately means inadequate muscle growth and problems with fat loss.

How to get phat: Take 1–2 g of GLA from sources such as borage oil, black-currant-seed oil and evening primrose oil two or three times per day with food for a total of up to 6 g per day.

Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs): Prime Your Motor
MCTs are a group of dietary fats found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil and butter. Although they are saturated fats, which tend to be classified as unhealthy, MCTs offer health and muscle-building benefits. MCT molecules are shorter in length than the typical saturated-fat molecules found in our diet, and it is this shorter length that provides their benefits. For starters, MCTs are slightly less calorically dense than longer fats, containing about eight calories per gram compared to nine calories per gram for most dietary fats. MCTs are also absorbed faster into the bloodstream than other fats, and they are burned more readily for fuel. This is because, while regular dietary fats require the assistance of carnitine to be carried into the mitochondria of cells where they can be burned for energy, MCTs can enter the mitochondria without the help of carnitine. The research on MCTs shows that MCT consumption can boost metabolic rate, fat burning and muscle growth.

How to get phat: Try 10–15 g of MCTs with breakfast, lunch and dinner. To avoid possible stomach upset, start with a low dose and slowly work up. Diabetics should consult with a qualified medical practitioner prior to the use of MCTs.