Branched-chain fatty acids (BCFA) are a group of lipids that are widely present in various organisms; they take part in numerous biochemical processes and affect multiple signaling pathways. However, BCFA are not well explored in terms of their effects on human health. Recently, they have been gaining interest, especially in relation to various human diseases. This review describes the occurrence of BCFA, their dietary sources, their potential health effects, and the current state of knowledge concerning their mechanism(s) of action. Many studies have been conducted so far in cellular and animal models, which reveal potent anti-cancer, lipid lowering, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective actions. Research in humans is scarce. Therefore, further studies on animals and humans should be performed to confirm and expand these findings, and improve our understanding of the potential relevance of BCFA to human health and disease.

支链脂肪酸 (BCFA) 是一组广泛存在于各种生物体中的脂质；它们参与许多生化过程并影响多种信号通路。然而，BCFA 对人类健康的影响尚未得到很好的探索。最近，它们引起了人们的兴趣，尤其是在与各种人类疾病相关的方面。这篇综述描述了 BCFA 的出现、它们的饮食来源、它们的潜在健康影响，以及关于它们的作用机制的当前知识状态。迄今为止，已经在细胞和动物模型中进行了许多研究，这些研究揭示了有效的抗癌、降脂、抗炎和神经保护作用。对人类的研究很少。因此，应该对动物和人类进行进一步的研究，以确认和扩展这些发现，