Eating Fabulous

Valentine Special: Are Oysters Aprodisiacs?

by ruth on February 11th, 2008

Valentine’s Day is coming up and I thought it’s the perfect opportunity to bring up the topic of aphrodisiacs once again (remember my entry on chili-hot chocolates?). Did you know that there have been scientific studies backing the claim that Casanova’s reputation may well have been enhanced by his oyster breakfasts?

Until recently, there was no scientific basis for that belief, Fisher added. But what he and his colleagues have discovered is that mussels, clams and oysters contain compounds that have been shown to be effective in releasing sexual hormones such as testosterone and oestrogen. These compounds are D-aspartic acid and NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate).

“We found there might be a scientific basis for the aphrodisiac properties of these mollusks,” Fisher said.

But what is it in oysters that boosts libido? For a while scientists thought that it’s their high zinc content (zinc is found in sperm and men lose between one and three milligrams per ejaculation. But another report says it may be attributed to two amino acids present: D-aspartic acid (D-Asp) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA).

“They are not the normal amino acids that Mother Nature uses,” said Dr Fisher. “You can’t just find them in a vitamin shop.”

Dr D’Aniello had found in earlier experiments that injecting the amino acids into rats triggered a chain reaction of hormones that ended with the production of testosterone in males and progesterone in females.

“Increased levels of those hormones in the blood means that you are more active sexually,” he said.

So there you go. Candlelight dinner? You know what to order! ;)

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POSTED IN: ~Fish and Seafoods, ~Impart Other Health Benefits