Isomerized Linoleic Acid

A modified version of the emollient and richly occlusive moisturizing linoleic acid. It is even suitable for oily skin and has a soothing effect.
Moisturizing
Other functions
Origin
Isomerized Linoleic Acid

Overview

Isomerized linoleic acid is a specially modified version of emollient and occlusive linoleic acid.

It has the same properties as the regular linoleic acid – richly occlusive moisturizing and emollient (even suitable for oily skin), with some anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.

Normal linoleic acid from vegetable oils has two unsaturated double bonds divided by two normal saturated bonds. When this linoleic acid undergoes the isomerization process (either by chemical catalysts or by bacteria), the resulting linoleic acid has double bonds separated only by one saturated bond. This transformation gives linoleic acid some additional useful properties.

It is often promoted as a nutritional supplement that can allegedly help with obesity, diabetes, and weight loss (although these are still very much unconfirmed).

Science

1
Tang, L., et al. (2020). Conjugated linoleic acid attenuates 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis in mice through dual inhibition of COX-2/5-LOX and TLR4/NF-κB signaling. The Journal of nutritional biochemistry, 81, 108379.