A Broad Look at Marine Superfoods: What Science Knows About Fish, Algae, and Seafood Compounds

This review pulls together research on “functional seafoods” — fish, shellfish, algae, and seafood byproducts that contain compounds like omega-3 fatty acids, bioactive peptides, marine polysaccharides, and antioxidants. The authors summarize what’s known about how these compounds may work in the body, focusing on anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-supporting mechanisms studied in cell, animal, and some human research.

The paper covers a wide range of marine sources, including fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), microalgae like Chlorella and Spirulina, sea cucumbers, seaweeds such as kelp and nori, and byproducts like fish protein hydrolysates and marine collagen. It discusses areas of scientific interest including heart health, brain and nervous system function, cancer biology, and digestive health, while being careful to note these are research areas, not established treatments.

A key contribution of this review is its framework for weighing evidence: the authors distinguish between lab-based mechanistic studies, animal research, human observational studies, and marine-derived compounds that have gone through formal drug approval processes. They stress that findings from test-tube or animal studies shouldn’t be assumed to apply directly to eating seafood or taking supplements without human data to back it up.