Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a slightly modified form of  the omega-6 fatty acid called linoleic acid—the word “conjugated” refers to the type of bond between molecules.  While it is technically a trans fat, it’s very different from the industrial trans fats that harm your health. 

The possible action mechanisms which show that CLA can alter the body composition involve metabolic changes that favor the reduction of the lipogenesis and the potentiation of lipolysis, accompanied by the oxidation of fatty acid in the skeletal muscle, due to increased carnitine palmitoil-transferase-1 activity and action, or possibly because of adipocyte differentiation inhibition