Vince
Super Moderator
For many years now, my favorite source of omega-3 fats — if you are not regularly eating safe sources of seafood like wild Alaskan salmon, sardines or anchovies — has been krill oil. In fact, I was one of the first to promote krill as an exceptional source of animal-based omega-3.
Krill oil is often compared to fish oil, but there are actually a number of differences between the two that makes krill a more ideal option. I was initially criticized for my recommendation of krill as a healthier and more environmentally friendly option than fish oil.
But over the years krill began receiving more attention by researchers, and each time a new study about krill oil hit the journals, its list of health benefits grew longer and the differences between fish oil and krill oil became more clearly pronounced.
[h=2]Advantages of Krill Oil Over Fish Oil[/b]Research shows krill oil has a number of advantages over fish oil, including the following:
✓ Higher potency |
✓ Contains phospholipids |
✓ Contains phosphatidylcholine |
✓ Resists oxidation |
✓ Contaminant-free |
✓ Environmentally sustainable |
✓ Superior metabolic influence |
[h=2]Krill Oil May Benefit Dozens of Diseases[/b]Krill oil has been shown to help prevent or reverse at least two dozen different diseases, including but not limited to those listed below.[SUP]5,[/SUP][SUP]6[/SUP] Of course, were you to extend the search to include everything related to omega-3 fats, the list of benefits would be even more extensive since the gifts of krill oil include everything known to be good about omega-3s.That said, studies looking at krill oil specifically have found it can benefit:
✓ Cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia; lowering blood pressure, triglyceride levels[SUP]7[/SUP] and LDL (bad) cholesterol, and raising HDL (good) cholesterol.[SUP]8[/SUP] | ✓ Inflammation, lowering C-reactive Protein[SUP]11[/SUP] | ✓ Oxidative stress[SUP]12[/SUP] |
✓ Arthritis: Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).[SUP]13,[/SUP][SUP]14[/SUP] | ✓ Metabolic syndrome,[SUP]16[/SUP] including obesity, fatty liver,[SUP]17[/SUP] and type 2 diabetes (by reducing inflammation and blood sugar) | ✓ Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and dysmenorrhea[SUP]18[/SUP] |
✓ Neurological/cognitive dysfunction, including: memory loss, brain aging, learning disorders and ADHD,[SUP]19[/SUP] autism and dyslexia,[SUP]20[/SUP] Parkinson's disease | ✓ Colon cancer[SUP]21[/SUP] | ✓ Kidney disease[SUP]22[/SUP] |
✓ Crohn's disease | ✓ Autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and nephropathy | ✓ Preventing premature delivery, and promoting infant brain development |
[h=2]Unique Partnership Ensures Sustainability While Promoting Research[/b]As mentioned, the Antarctic krill biomass is under the management of an international organization of 25 countries called the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).[SUP]23[/SUP] It's responsible for the management of sustainable krill fishery and the monitoring of krill stock. CCAMLR is well-organized and has developed robust research programs to help ensure successful conservation measures in the Southern Ocean.
They also have the authority to further micromanage, on a season–to-season basis, to counteract any concerns they may have regarding the strength of the krill population during a particular harvesting season. In addition, the MSC certifies that krill fishing vessels harvest the krill in compliance with strict sustainability criteria. Aker BioMarine's Antarctic krill has been MSC-certified since 2010.[SUP]24[/SUP] According to the MSC:[SUP]25[/SUP]
"Aker BioMarine has taken significant steps to protect other species living in the Antarctic Southern Ocean. This includes using a bespoke 'Eco-Harvesting' method which has a fine mesh, monitored by underwater cameras, to prevent anything larger than krill being caught. Recent research shows that bycatch of juvenile species is around 0.2 percent of the total catch."
Aker BioMarine also provides financial support to scientific institutions, and allows independent scientists to use its on-board research platforms at no cost. Five days a year, they also allow independent scientists to tag along to specific areas to document environmental impacts on both krill and predators that depend on krill for their survival.
Last year, Aker BioMarine co-founded the Antarctic Wildlife Research Fund (AWR), which is a collaboration between scientists, businesses — including Mercola.com[SUP]26[/SUP] — and leading environmental groups.
The aim is to raise funds for research into krill and its role in the Antarctic ecosystem. According to AWR Chair Mark Epstein, "The creation of the Antarctic Wildlife Research Fund is crucial to expanding our knowledge of krill populations in the Southern Ocean," and I'm proud to support this endeavor to ensure the conservation of the Antarctic.
You can follow the progress of AWR-funded scientists on their Extreme Scientist page. Below is a video taken by some of the researchers working in this cold and beautiful place.
Most People Can Benefit From Omega-3 Supplementation
While I recommend getting most of your nutritional needs met by real food, there are instances in which supplementation makes great sense. Animal-based omega-3 is one, as most fish are simply too contaminated to eat large amounts of safely. (Exceptions include wild-caught Alaskan salmon and smaller fatty fish like sardines and anchovies.)
Make no mistake about it, animal-based omega-3 fats are really critical for optimal health, and many Americans are sorely deficient in this nutrient. Making matters worse, most people also consume far too many damaged omega-6 fats, found in vegetable oils and processed foods.
According to research[SUP]27[/SUP] published in 2009, omega-3 deficiency may cause or contribute to as many as 96,000 premature deaths each year. Low concentrations of EPA and DHA have been shown to result in an increased risk of death from all causes and accelerate cognitive decline. Those suffering from depression have also been found to have lower levels of omega-3 in their blood than non-depressed individuals.
Regardless of your age and sex, adding a high-quality animal-based omega-3 supplement like krill oil to your daily diet is one of the simplest and most effective strategies you can implement to protect your health. Pregnant women need to pay particular heed to this advice, as most women have major deficiencies of this fat, and that can spell trouble for your child.
It's important to realize that your body cannot form omega-3 fats, so a fetus must obtain all of its omega-3 fats from its mother's diet. Hence a mother's dietary intake and plasma concentrations of DHA directly influence the DHA status of the developing fetus, which can impact your child's brain development and eye health.
Likewise, breast feeding infants are dependent on the omega-3 fat from breast milk, so it's essential that women have adequate supplies of omega-3 to support both their own and their child's health during this time.
[h=2]Considerations When Buying Krill Oil Supplements[/b]When selecting a krill oil supplement, keep the following factors in mind:
Make sure it's made from Antarctic krill, as it is by far the most abundant.
Verify that the company has a valid sustainability certification from The MSC,[SUP]28[/SUP] which ensures it's harvested in compliance with international conservation standards.
The krill oil should be cold-processed to preserve its biological benefits. Make sure hexane is not used to extract the oil from the krill. Unfortunately, some of the most popular krill oils on the market use this dangerous chemical agent.
The oil should also be free of heavy metals, PCBs, dioxins and other contaminants.
Hard capsules are preferable to softgels for the fact that the latter allows more oxygen reach the contents, which promotes oxidization (i.e. speeds up rancidity). In the absence of oxygen, no oxidation can take place. Even though krill oil contains astaxanthin, which significantly decreases oxidation, hard capsules add additional protection, assuring maximum freshness and effectiveness.
[h=2]Krill Oil Has Many Benefits and Virtually No Downsides[/b]As you can see, krill oil outperforms regular fish oil in a number of different ways. For starters, you need far less to get the same results, so it's a more affordable choice. And, while animal-based omega-3 fat is important for overall health, the omega-3 in krill oil appears to be particularly effective for supporting normal lipid levels and cardiovascular health.
Krill oil is also the most environmentally sustainable form of animal-based omega-3, which is an important consideration. I'm also really pleased that AWR will be able to conduct important environmental research while helping ensure the sustainability of krill fishing in the Antarctic. It's an exciting project for sure.
