The benefits of krill oil have again been recently highlighted in the media. However what are the differences between krill oil and fish oil and what conditions is krill oil beneficial for?
Krill are small crustaceans, similar to shrimp, that live in the cold waters of the Antarctic Ocean.
Krill oil is taken for the same reasons as fish oil as generally they contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which may be beneficial for general health, brain function, joint swelling and inflammation, cardiovascular health and lowering cholesterol levels.
There is now evidence to suggest krill is a better source of Omega-3 than fish oil as it is much better absorbed.
This means you need to take less capsules of krill to get the same benefits as fish oil. In fact, just one krill oil capsule of 300mg is said to be equal to nine standard fish oil capsules (1,000mg). This is equal to the fish oil dosage recommended by Arthritis Australia for joint inflammation.
Krill does not have any fishy reflux so it is also a great alternative to the liquid fish oils that are also equal to nine standard fish oil capsules. Krill capsules are also much smaller than fish oil capsules.
Krill oil has been found to be very effective in lowering cholesterol.
As krill is highly absorbed, this makes it very easy to get the needed amounts of Omega-3 that have been shown to lower bad cholesterol and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. In fact the recommended dosage of krill oil is 1,000mg a day, which is equivalent to around twenty standard (1,000mg) fish oil capsules!
One study had people who were already taking cholesterol lowering medication also take 1,000mg of krill oil per day. This had amazing results.
After 12 weeks the average results were a 32 per cent reduction in bad cholesterol, a 44 per cent increase of good cholesterol and a 13 per cent drop in total cholesterol. Fish oil was also tested at similar dosages to the krill oil and the results were much less.
With a variety of new krill oils on the market, they are now much better value for money and I believe are worth trying for anyone with high cholesterol or joint pain. However consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new supplements.
