Conjugated fatty acid


Conjugated fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids in which at least one pair of double bonds is separated by only one single bond. The conjugation implies four consecutive unsaturated links, and results in a delocalization of electrons along the double-bonded carbons. An example of a conjugated fatty acid is the rumenic acid, found in the meat and milk of ruminants.
Some conjugated fatty acids may confer health benefits ranging from the prevention of hypertension to protection against certain forms of cancer, although more research is needed to confirm such effects.
Conjugated fatty acids have different groups, and one of them is the conjugated linoleic acid isomers. Conjugated linoleic acids are the most investigated conjugated fatty acids. The reason why the isomer of conjugated fatty acids are studied is because they have the potential to treat human illnesses. A biological activity that conjugated fatty acids have been studied for is the reduction of body fat and the increasing of lean body mass. There are experimental models that proved the ability of conjugated linoleic acid to reduce fat levels. This is why the scientific community see the potential to use conjugated fatty acids with active treatments to prevent obesity. However, research studies made in humans are in disagreement even though these studies have proven that the supplementation of conjugated linoleic acid has some benefits such as weight loss.
Conjugated fatty acids can have either a cis or trans configuration. For instance, the rumenic acid is a conjugated trans fatty acid.