Researchers serve up an aphrodisiac on the half shell

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Casanova, the 18th-century lover who used to breakfast on 50 oysters, has been vindicated by a study that proves they really are aphrodisiacs.

And spring, the scientists say, is the time of year the shellfish have their greatest aphrodisiac quality.

The team of American and Italian researchers analyzed bivalve mollusks -- a group of shellfish that includes oysters -- and found they were rich in rare amino acids that trigger increased levels of sex hormones.

The link was announced to 15,000 scientists in San Diego at a meeting of the American Chemical Society last week.

"I am amazed," said George Fisher, a professor of chemistry at Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla., who led the research team with his graduate student, Raul Mirza, and Antimo D'Aniello of the Laboratory of Neurobiology in Naples, Italy.

"I have been a scientist for 40 years, and my research has never generated interest like this," Mr. Fisher said.

"For centuries, old wives' tales have said that eating raw mollusks -- oysters in particular -- would stimulate the libido, but there has really been no scientific evidence as to why and if this occurs.

"We think this could be the first scientific evidence of some substance.

"Did Casanova's 50 oysters really make him frisky? Could be."

Previous speculation about the powers of oysters has centered on the refueling powers of their high zinc content.