Applications in medicine: hypoglycemic peptides

With the enhanced consumers’ awareness about food and health, the development of functional foods for specific health effects is on the rise. Bioactive peptides are one category of functional foods holding the promise of prevention or treatment of many chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes. Antidiabetic peptides have been identified from a variety of protein sources including but not limited to dairy, fish, shellfish, egg, soy, oat, and wheat. Protein hydrolysates/bioactive peptides potentially improve glucose homeostasis through inhibiting carbohydrate digestion and absorption, augmented gut hormone and insulin secretion, enhanced insulin function and sensitivity, increased peripheral glucose uptake, and modification of the adipose tissue. Clinical trials involving bioactive peptides/protein hydrolysates are quite limited but necessary in determining physiological properties of these compounds as functional foods/nutraceuticals. This chapter mainly highlights the antidiabetic potential of peptides/protein hydrolysates through in vivo and clinical studies.