What are Bioactive Peptides?

Most bioactive peptides are relatively short (3 to 10 amino acids) and hydrophobic (water-repellent). Bioactive peptides are released from food proteins from milk, egg, meat, fish and a large number of plants. They can be released from the food proteins in different ways:

 

• By enzymatic hydrolysis
• During food processing
• During digestion in the stomach and intestine
• The activity of the peptides can be exerted in the intestine, or after absorption in specific target organs

 

Health Benefits of Bioactive Peptides

Bioactive peptides are associated with the following effects:

• Antithrombotic (prevention of thrombosis)
• Antioxidative
• Antihypertensive (counteracting high blood pressure)
• Antimicrobial
• Opioid (effects similar to those of opium);
• Anticarcinogenic
• Mineral binding
• Immunomodulatory

 

Proteins are the macronutrients that most lead to satiety. It is believed by researchers that it is the exemption of peptides that ensures that satiety signals from the intestine prevent further food intake. Peptides metopium-like activity from soy protein and casein affect food intake by slowing down emptying of the stomach and delaying transit through the intestine.

Peptides with antioxidative activity can be released from the milk protein casein, whey protein, egg and soy protein. And peptides with the amino acid sequence Pro-His-His (Proline - Histin -Histin) have the greatest anti-oxidative activity.

ACE inhibitor peptides (where Ace stands for Angiotensin-1 converting enzyme) have an antihypertensive effect. In other words, they counteract high blood pressure, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. These peptides are found in milk, fish, egg, soy and wheat.

 

Thrombosis is a problem related to cardiovascular diseases. Kappa casein (from cattle) leads to the release of peptides with antithrombotic effect.

Bioactive peptides are extremely beneficial in easing a number of health disorders. That’s why scientific researchers are so keen on investigating these proteins – to learn more about their benefits for human health.

Peptide Sciences provides high quality bioactive peptides for research.