[Oyster Extract (FGO) Efficacy] A New Key for Our Child's Height Growth, Oyster Extract.

Hello, I am Jinny, a pharmacist.

"How tall will our child be?" This is a common concern for parents with growing children. Especially if a child is on the shorter side compared to their peers, parents may have even more worries.

Today, we'd like to introduce 'Oyster Extract' to parents who are concerned about their child's height. Oysters are known for their high calcium content, which promotes bone development. Several studies have revealed that oyster extract has a positive impact on pediatric height growth by inhibiting chondrocyte differentiation and promoting bone formation [1-2]. The oyster extract, obtained through fermentation of oysters, has been proven to have a positive influence on pediatric height growth through human application tests.
[1] Coringa, Ricardo; de Sousa, Eduardo Martins; Botelho, Juliana Nunes; Diniz, Rafael Soares; de Sá, Joicy Cortez; da Cruz, Maria Carmen Fontoura Nogueira; Paschoal, Marco Aurelio Beninni; Gonçalves, Letícia Machado; Heymann, Dominique (2018). Bone substitute made from a Brazilian oyster shell functions as a fast stimulator for bone-forming cells in an animal model. PLOS ONE, 13(6), e0198697–.
[2] Jeong jw, choi sh, han mh, kim gy, park c, hong sh, lee bj, park ek, kim so, leem sh, jeon yj, choi yh. (2019). Efficacy and Safety of Fermented Oyster Extract for Height of CProtective Effects of Fermented Oyster Extract against RANKL-Induced Osteoclastogenesis through Scavenging ROS Generation in RAW 264.7 Cells. Int J Mol, 20(6), 1439.

Let's explore how oyster extract can specifically benefit the height growth of children through research studies.

While genetic factors have the greatest influence on a child's height growth, there are other complex factors at play, such as nutritional status and hormones. Therefore, growth patterns vary from person to person. Generally, it's known that children typically grow about 4-6 cm per year from age 3 until before adolescence.
[3] Kee hyoung lee. (2003). Growth Assessment and Diagnosis of Growth Disorders in Childhood. 소아과, 46(12), 1171–1177.

In a clinical trial conducted in 2021 to study the relationship between oyster extract and the height growth of children, it was revealed that when oyster extract was consumed for 24 weeks, the average difference in height growth compared to the control group was approximately 0.75 cm in the male group and about 0.66 cm in the female group. The researchers interpreted these results as a significant improvement, considering the typical annual growth of approximately 4-6 cm during childhood.

Typically, from birth to around 3 years of age is referred to as the first rapid growth period, and the period of rapid height growth that occurs when approaching adolescence is called the second rapid growth period. Especially, after adolescence, growth stops, so it's important to preserve the golden time of growth when one is still increasing in height.

When oyster extract was consumed by 100 children, it was found to have a positive impact on the speed of their height growth.

So how does oyster extract affect the height growth of children? This is because oyster extract is related to the level of serum IGFBP-3. IGFBP-3 is a substance that plays an essential role in stimulating the growth plate. In animal experiments, it was found that serum IGFBP-3 levels increased when oyster extract was administered [4].
[4] Lee, Hyesook; Hwang-Bo, Hyun; Ji, Seon Yeong; Kim, Min Yeong; Kim, So Young; Woo, Minji; Keum, Young-Sam; Noh, Jeong Sook; Park, Joung-Hyun; Lee, Bae-Jin; Kim, Gi-Young; Park, Eui Kyun; Chang, Young-Chae; Jeon, You-Jin; Choi, Yung Hyun (2020). Effect of fermented oyster extract on growth promotion in Sprague-Dawley rats. Integrative Medicine Research, 9(4), 100412–.

In human trials, results similar to animal experiments were confirmed. Both the oyster extract group and the placebo group showed a decrease in serum IGFBP-3 levels, but the oyster extract group exhibited a less significant decrease compared to the placebo group.

Today, we examined how oyster extract affects the height growth of children through SCI-level research papers. Research results suggest that oyster extract can be beneficial for children's height growth and bone development, but further studies are needed to precisely understand the mechanisms by which it influences height growth.

Lastly, here are a few height growth habits that you can incorporate into your daily life.

First, cardiovascular exercise. Exercise is known to stimulate the secretion of growth hormones, and among them, cardio exercise has been shown in research to lead to a significant increase in the secretion of growth hormones. Therefore, engaging in regular exercise like skipping rope or cycling at a moderate level daily may be beneficial for height growth.
Hormone Release During Acute and Chronic Aerobic and Resistance Exercise. Sports Medicine, 32(15), 987–1004.

Next, it's important to ensure adequate nutrition for height growth, but it's also important to note that childhood obesity can hinder growth. This is because childhood obesity increases the levels of sex hormones. When sex hormones are secreted, it can accelerate height growth and bone maturation, potentially causing the growth plates to close earlier. Therefore, it's important to be cautious and avoid becoming obese to support proper height growth.
[6] Shlomit Shalitin;Galia Gat-Yablonski; (2021). Associations of Obesity with Linear Growth and Puberty . Hormone Research in Paediatrics

I hope you have a healthy day both physically and mentally. This was Jinny.