Chapter 5: Conjugated Linoleic Acids: Therapeutic Agents in Functional Food Formulations

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), one of the polyunsaturated conjugated fatty acids, has garnered increased attention in recent years due to its potential health advantages. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerotic, antimutagenic, and anticarcinogenic properties of CLA are widely acknowledged. Lean body mass, immune-induced muscle wasting prevention, and fat reduction are among the additional health advantages of CLA that have been shown in animal and cell-line research. Owing to studies of their positive effects on several models of chronic inflammatory illnesses and metabolic disorders, conjugated fatty acids have garnered a lot of attention lately. The geometrical and positional isomers of octadecadienoic acid that have double bonds in conjugated positions are referred to together as conjugated linoleic acid. The usual range of CLA concentration in meat and dairy products is 0.3–0.8% CLA per g of fat, with the cis-9, trans-11 isomer accounting for 73–93% of the total CLA. Consequently, the synthesis of CLA has garnered more attention in studies in recent years. Future use of CLA as a lipid will be highly beneficial. Because of its many health benefits, CLA has been gaining more and more attention every day. We hope that CLA will be utilized in functional foods in the future. It is currently utilized as a medication in the form of capsules for a variety of uses. This chapter covers the composition, metabolism, biological effects, biochemical effects, current research, and applications of CLA.