New Study Finds Surprising Seafood Could Help With Gut Inflammation
Gut inflammation is no joke; It's uncomfortable, it can be chronic, and it's associated with a number of other health issues. But according to new research presented at the Society for Experimental Biology conference, there's a powerful supplement that could protect against intestinal inflammation—and it comes from none other than the mighty oyster.
Here's what they found.
Studying oysters' impact on the gut
Oysters are thought of as a culinary delicacy and even an aphrodisiac, but for this study, researchers wanted to take a closer look at their health benefits.
Oysters are, after all, known for being nutritious as well as packed with antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds. And given previous research has shown oysters can help quell inflammation in mice, the study authors note, this research sought to find out if those benefits translated to humans.
Using a dried oyster meat extract, the team tested the effect of oysters on human intestinal cells that were treated with TNF-α (a pro-inflammatory molecule).
Despite the TNF-α, the study authors observed that oyster extract prevented NF-kB signaling pathways from activating, which then kept the cell walls from getting inflamed. The extract also lowered the expression of COX-2, which is another inflammatory enzyme.
In simple terms? This oyster extract could help countless people who struggle with intestinal permeability—AKA leaky gut—wherein your gut "leaks" things like bacteria and toxins into your blood. Even in the presence of inflammatory stimuli, the oyster extract proved protective for the gut.
Supplementing oysters for gut health
With oysters being widely available and sustainable, these findings offer a novel approach for tackling gut inflammation.
As researcher and Ph.D. student Giulia Trinchera notes in a news release, "The identification of naturally occurring bioactive substances with anti-inflammatory properties represents a promising therapeutic and preventive strategy for the management of chronic inflammatory diseases and their systemic comorbidities."
Of course, more research is needed to replicate the team's findings before we actually start seeing oyster extract supplements. Nevertheless, if you wanted another reason to indulge in some oysters, now you've got one.
The takeaway
With all of their benefits, we might want to start considering oysters a superfood. They're loaded with healthy compounds, protein, and minerals, they can boost your sex drive, and according to these findings, they might just help with leaky gut, too.