Rumor: Shrimp can enhance the body's immunity, tonifying the kidney, aphrodisiac and anti-premature aging.

Rumor: Shrimp, because of its meat is delicious, nutritious and frequently appear on our table. Recently, the Internet has appeared to eat shrimp several benefits, that is, "shrimp can enhance human immunity, tonic kidney and anti-premature aging, etc.". This claim has no scientific basis?

Nutritional composition of shrimp

According to the 2017 edition of China's food composition table, shrimp contains a large amount of protein and sodium, calcium, iron and other trace elements. Take the prawns that people eat every day as an example, and analyze their composition and content (the content of various components in the Chinese food composition table is measured in 100g edible portion). From the table, it can be concluded that apart from water, prawns contain about 69% protein. Meanwhile, although the overall content of vitamins and trace elements such as sodium, calcium and iron was low in shrimp, the content of vitamins and trace elements in shrimp was still relatively high compared with other meats.

Table 1 Analysis of nutrient content in bright shrimp

Eating shrimp can improve immunity?

As early as 2009, it was found through animal experiments that protein powder (rich in a variety of proteins) can significantly enhance immunity in mice. However, due to the differences in dietary structure and physiology between mice and humans, the results of this experiment have some limitations when applied to humans. In humans, protein supplementation can enhance immunity only when there is insufficient protein synthesis in the body. Excessive intake of protein when the body is not deficient in protein will cause a metabolic burden on the kidneys, which is not conducive to good health.

So, at the animal level, protein supplementation can enhance immunity, while for people, only when the body's protein synthesis is insufficient, i.e., when the intensity of exercise is high or when suffering from wasting disease, the intake of protein-rich substances such as shrimp can enhance immunity.

Shrimp can tonic kidney aphrodisiac?

In 2019, experts studied the relationship between seminal plasma zinc levels and sperm viability in patients with male infertility. The results of the study found that men with weaker fertility generally had lower zinc levels in their seminal plasma. That is, zinc content in male seminal plasma affects sperm viability. Shrimp contains a variety of trace elements, including zinc. This may be the source of "eating shrimp can tonic kidney aphrodisiac", but eating shrimp can really tonic kidney aphrodisiac? Kidney aphrodisiacs, Chinese medicine theory is through diet, drugs, exercise, qigong guide, acupuncture, massage and other methods to achieve changes in the state of kidney function, but these can not be simply equated to improve sperm vitality. Therefore, eating shrimp may improve sperm vitality, but there is no research to show that eating shrimp can tonify the kidney and aphrodisiac.

Shrimp can anti-aging?

Shrimp does contain some anti-aging ingredients, it is astaxanthin. Astaxanthin was isolated in the 1930s, has a variety of physiological activities and great medicinal value. As early as 1990, scientists found that astaxanthin can prevent the rat liver mitochondrial peroxidation in vitro, which provides a good research idea to slow down aging. Because at the cellular level, the culprit for accelerated cellular aging is oxidative damage to mitochondria.

So, eating shrimp can anti-aging? The answer is no. First of all, astaxanthin is mainly found in shrimp shells, generally can not be consumed as food; second, from the dietary intake of astaxanthin, due to the impact of other dietary ingredients astaxanthin is difficult to be absorbed by the body.

In short, shrimp has a high protein content, has a high nutritional value, recommended for consumption, but its daily immune system, tonic kidney and anti-aging does not help significantly.

References:

[1]Liu Xiuying,Hu Yixiu,Hu Yuming,Ma Zheng,Yin Jin. Experimental study on immunity enhancement by protein powder[J]. Chinese Tropical Medicine,2009,9(02):249-250.

[2]TAO Ming-Jin,CAO Yan. Application value of serum sex hormone index, seminal plasma zinc and fructose testing in diagnosing male infertility[J]. China Maternal and Child Health,2019,34(09):2090-2092.

[3]Dong Baolian,Guo Ling. Research progress of astaxanthin[J]. Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology,2019,35(08):821-824.

[4]Kurashige M ,Okimasu E ,Inoue M, Utsumi K. Inhibition of oxidative injury of biological membranes by astaxanthin.[J]. Physiological chemistry and physics and medical NMR,1990,22(1).

Discrediting experts:

Dr. Zhang Ranran, Beijing Hospital

China Popular Science Writers' Association, Medical Popular Science Creation Specialized Committee, Youth Group Leader, Peking University, Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Wu Yibo

< Review Experts:

Chinese Medical Association Dr. Tang Qin