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As a food that serves both nutritional and medicinal purposes, the oyster is not only a beloved and delicious seafood delicacy but also promotes physical fitness and well-being; oyster peptides, derived through advanced processing of oyster meat, offer similarly outstanding health benefits, making them an exceptional source of high-quality peptides.

“Milk of the Sea”—Oysters

In ancient times, oyster meat was known as “lihuang.” The *Compendium of Materia Medica* records: “Oyster meat is sweet, warm, and non-toxic. When boiled and eaten, it treats debility, regulates the middle jiao, and alleviates erysipelas and gynecological disorders associated with ‘blood and qi’ imbalances. When eaten raw with ginger and vinegar, it treats erysipelas and the irritability and feverish sensation following alcohol consumption, while also quenching thirst.”

Modern scientific research confirms that oyster meat is rich in high-quality protein, glycogen, taurine, various vitamins, and trace elements such as zinc, selenium, iron, and iodine. Known as “milk of the sea,” it is a marine mollusk of exceptionally high nutritional value.

Characteristics and Advantages of Oyster Peptides

Oyster peptides are derived from oyster meat through processes such as protein extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, and purification. Characterized by a balanced amino acid composition, high stability, and ease of absorption, they possess molecular masses primarily in the 200–800 Da range and consist mainly of 2–6 amino acid residues. These peptides can be absorbed directly from the intestine into the bloodstream and exhibit high biological activity, exerting physiological effects even at low dosages. Extensive research indicates that oyster peptides possess various functional activities, including antioxidant, blood pressure-lowering, and immunomodulatory properties.

Six Major Physiological Regulatory Functions of Oyster Peptides

Research confirms that oyster peptides prepared via enzymatic hydrolysis using biological enzymes are not only highly safe and characterized by a pure flavor and excellent mouthfeel, but also possess various physiological regulatory functions.

01. Antioxidant

Oyster peptides demonstrate significant effects in reducing MDA and protein carbonyl levels while increasing SOD activity and GSH content in mice; exhibiting strong antioxidant capacity, they serve as effective free-radical scavengers and antioxidants, making them a valuable source of natural antioxidant substances.

02. Improving reproductive function

Oyster peptides are rich in small-molecule peptides containing arginine residues, as well as the trace element zinc and taurine, offering significant potential for improving reproductive function. Research has shown that oyster peptides can enhance mating ability, increase the weight of reproductive organs, and improve sperm quality in male mice, while also raising serum sex hormone levels and increasing nitric oxide content in the penis.

03. Boost Immunity

Thymus and spleen indices reflect the development of immune organs and the functional status of immune cells; oyster peptides can increase these indices in mice with compromised immune function and enhance non-specific immune regulation, thereby promoting T-lymphocyte differentiation and development and strengthening the body’s immune response.

04. Lowering Blood Pressure

Angiotensin II is the most potent known endogenous vasopressor peptide; it induces the contraction of vascular smooth muscle and leads to increased sodium retention and blood volume, thereby raising arterial blood pressure. Oyster peptides effectively inhibit ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme), helping to lower blood pressure and offering preventive and health-promoting benefits against hypertension.

05. Regulating Blood Sugar

Oyster peptides are beneficial for the prevention of hyperglycemia and diabetes; they promote the repair of pancreatic islet tissue and restore its secretory function, significantly lower blood glucose levels in diabetic mice, and inhibit the decline of superoxide dismutase and insulin levels, thereby exerting a blood glucose-lowering effect.

06. Anti-tumor

Research has shown that oyster peptides inhibit the proliferation of human gastrointestinal, cervical, and colon cancer cells by preventing normal cell division, thereby inducing apoptosis in the tumor cells. Additionally, oyster peptides enhance the function of T lymphocytes and NK cells in mouse models of lung cancer, significantly inhibiting the growth of lung cancer cells.

Among the vast array of bioactive peptides, a significant number are derived from marine sources; peptides with unique physiological activities have been extracted from organisms ranging from fish, shrimp, and sea cucumbers to shellfish and algae. It is anticipated that further research will uncover additional health benefits of the bioactive peptides found in oysters.

References:
[1] Cai Muyi. Food-derived Oligopeptides [M]. China Light Industry Press, 2021.
[2] Li Ya, Liu Qi. Effect of different pretreatment methods on the nutritional composition of oyster peptides [J]. Journal of Food Safety and Quality, 2018, 9(13).