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The effects of conjugated linoleic acid on human health-related outcomes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2007

Sabine Tricon ,
Graham C. Burdge ,
Christine M. Williams ,
Philip C. Calder  and
Parveen Yaqoob
Sabine Tricon*
Affiliation:
Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, School of Food Biosciences, PO Box 226, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP, UK
Graham C. Burdge
Affiliation:
Institute of Human Nutrition, School of Medicine, University of Southampton, Bassett Crescent East, Southampton SO16 7PX, UK
Christine M. Williams
Affiliation:
Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, School of Food Biosciences, PO Box 226, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP, UK
Philip C. Calder
Affiliation:
Institute of Human Nutrition, School of Medicine, University of Southampton, Bassett Crescent East, Southampton SO16 7PX, UK
Parveen Yaqoob
Affiliation:
Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, School of Food Biosciences, PO Box 226, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Sabine Tricon, fax 0118 931 0080, email S.Tricon@reading.ac.uk
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Abstract

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Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a collective term for a mixture of positional and geometric isomers of conjugated dienoic derivatives of linoleic acid. CLA has received considerable attention as a result of animal experiments that report anti-carcinogenic, anti-atherogenic and anti-diabetic properties, and modulation of body composition and immune function. Several studies of CLA supplementation in human subjects have now been published, but in contrast to animal studies there has been marked variation between reports on the health-related outcomes. The consensus from seventeen published studies in human subjects is that CLA does not affect body weight or body composition. Some detrimental effects of the trans-10,cis-12 CLA isomer have also been reported in terms of altered blood lipid composition and impaired insulin sensitivity. Finally, CLA has only limited effects on immune functions in man. However, there have been reports of some interesting isomer-specific effects of CLA on the blood lipid profile, but not on immune function. These isomer-specific effects need further investigation. Until more is known, CLA supplementation in man should be considered with caution.

Keywords

CLABody compositionBlood lipidsInsulin resistanceImmune function
Type
Postgraduate Symposium
Information
Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 64 , Issue 2 , May 2005 , pp. 171 - 182
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2005

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