Disclosed is a method of enhancing the immune response of an animal, including mammals and humans, to prevent or ameliorate immunoinflammatory diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, increase immune system development, maintain or increase CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte levels, increase immune function, increase immune response against viruses and prevent or ameliorate the Metabolic Syndrome, Type 2 diabetes and obesity by administering orally or parenterally a therapeutically effective amount of punicic acid to the animal.
