Mechanisms of action of conjugated linoleic acid: Evidence and speculation

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been shown to inhibit carcinogenesis and atherosclerosis, enhance immunologic function while protecting against the catabolic effects of immune stimulation, affect body composition change (r educing body fat gain while enhancing lean body mass gain), and stimulate t he growth of young Fats. We discuss possible biochemical mechanisms that un derlie these physiological effects. We emphasize the importance of consider ing the effects, bath individually and combined, of the two CLA isomers (ci s-9, trans-11 GLA and trans-10, cis-12 CLA) that have been shown to exhibit biological activity and which appear to exert their effects via different biochemical mechanisms.