Bioactive Antioxidant Peptides as Novel Natural Interventions for Cardiometabolic Disorders: Mechanistic Insights and...

Cardiometabolic disorders (CMDs) represent a significant health challenge worldwide, and they consist of a vast range of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related complications. The involvement of oxidative stress in the etiology of these conditions is considered a major cause of dysregulation of physiological homeostasis, as it alters a host of signalling pathways, including insulin signalling, causes chronic inflammation, compromises vascular function, and damages cardiomyocytes. The therapeutic approaches currently available as antioxidants, both synthetic and natural, have not been very effective due to low bioavailability, potential toxicity, and indiscriminate targeting. Antioxidant peptides are yet another promising alternative to address these limitations, owing to their greater safety profile, increased bioactivity, target specificity, and better absorption. The main purpose of this article is to comprehensively assess bioactive peptide sources, mechanisms, and therapeutic roles. A structured search strategy was used to identify pertinent papers on bioactive antioxidant peptides and their role in CMDs. Online databases were searched for publications between 2000 and 2025 using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. These small bioactive antioxidant peptides, derived from a variety of dietary, plant, marine, animal, and microbial sources, possess potent antioxidant properties. They work in various ways, such as Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) scavenging, metal ion chelation, and regulation of endogenous antioxidant enzymes, and are more effective at countering oxidative stress-induced CMDs, with better safety profiles, enhanced absorption, and greater target specificity than traditional antioxidants. The current review has provided evidence that bioactive peptides have therapeutic potential, especially in addressing the shortages of synthetic and natural small-molecule antioxidants. They are important in CMD Control because of their molecular diversity. It is hypothesized that bioactive peptides-owing to their multifunctional nature-may serve as significant therapeutic and diagnostic agents for managing oxidative stress and restoring cardiometabolic balance.