Krill Oil’s Vital Lipids Offer A Range of Benefits
Krill oil is sometimes compared to fish oil as an omega-3 dietary
supplement. But authentic krill oil complex contains a greater range of
nutrients, and its benefits far exceed those of fish oils. Most of the
DHA and EPA of krill oil occurs linked into larger phospholipid
molecules (pronounced fos-fo-lip-ids).2 These are preformed
building blocks for the cell membranes that drive life processes. In
fish oil, by contrast, all the DHA and EPA occurs as triglycerides,
which are storage forms of fatty acids (“fat”). The DHA and EPA has to
be removed from the triglycerides, then linked into phospholipids prior
to inserting them into cell membranes.
Krill oil gets its red color from astaxanthin, a carotenoid
nutrient. Astaxanthin is a potent membrane antioxidant and helps ensure
krill oil’s exceptional shelf life stability.3 Fish oils
lack astaxanthin and are vulnerable to premature rancidity—oxidative
degradation of the fragile DHA and EPA molecules. Krill’s
phospholipids, DHA, EPA, astaxanthin—all can be readily inserted into
cell membranes.
Krill oil has produced impressive benefits in clinical trials, superior when compared against fish oil.
Superior to Fish Oil for Premenstrual Challenges
In a large proportion of women, premenstrual problems affect life
quality by negatively affecting mood and other mental state and by
generating pain and other physical problems. In a double blind trial,
krill oil was compared against fish oil for the relief of ten well
recognized premenstrual complaints.4 Seventy (70) women of
childbearing age consumed 2 grams of either a krill oil or a fish oil,
daily for the first month. Then for the next 2 months, they took the
assigned supplements for just eight days prior to menstruation and
another 2 days subsequent. They filled in detailed questionnaires and
kept track of their daily analgesic (painkiller) medication use.
After the first 45 days the women taking krill oil had significant
improvements in all 10 complaints, including irritability, depression,
stress, and “feelings of being overwhelmed.”4 The physical
complaints that improved included breast tenderness, joint pain, weight
gain, abdominal pain, swelling, and bloating. Those taking fish oil
reported improvements in just 2 physical complaints—weight gain and
abdominal pain. From day 45 to day 90 all the krill oil benefits were
sustained while for the fish oil group only relief of swelling was
added.
The superior benefits from krill oil also showed in the women’s lowered reliance on painkillers.4
By day 90, those receiving krill oil were able to reduce their daily
consumption of ibuprofen or acetaminophen by more than half. Those
receiving fish oil reduced ibuprofen by 33 percent and acetaminophen by
41 percent. The women taking krill oil also avoided the unpleasant
reflux regurgitation experienced by two-thirds of the women who took
the fish oil.
Superior Support for Cholesterol, Triglyceride and Blood Sugar Management
Blood lipid abnormalities including elevated LDL cholesterol and
total cholesterol, reduced HDL cholesterol, and high triglycerides, are
proven risk factors for cardiovascular disease5 and are also linked to premature memory decline.6
In a randomized clinical trial, 120 men and women with hyperlipidemia
(abnormally high total cholesterol and triglyceride levels) received
either krill oil, fish oil or a placebo for 90 days.7 The
krill oil dosages ranged from 1-3 grams per day and were tailored to
body mass index (BMI); the fish oil dosage was 3 grams per day. The
trial went for 90 days.
Krill oil significantly lowered total and LDL cholesterol, and
elevated HDL cholesterol, at dosages of 1 gram and higher per day.7
At 2 and 3 grams per day, krill oil also significantly lowered
triglycerides. Krill oil at 1 gram per day and higher also
significantly lowered fasting blood glucose. The fish oil failed to
lower total and LDL cholesterol, raised HDL cholesterol only marginally
(by 4 percent), and failed to lower triglycerides or blood glucose.
Krill oil’s superior cardiovascular benefits in this trial are nicely
complemented by its benefit against another major cardiovascular risk
factor CRP (C-reactive protein),8 as described in the next section.
Support for Joint Health and Lowering of CRP
In a double blind trial, 90 subjects with severe joint complaints
and/or cardiovascular problems were randomized to receive either krill
oil (300 mg per day) or a placebo.8 They were assessed at baseline,
then after 7, 14 and 30 days. They were allowed to use only
acetaminophen for pain. Already at day 7, krill oil significantly
improved joint pain (by 29 percent), stiffness (by 20 percent), and
functional impairment (by 30 percent). By day 30, pain was down by 38
percent in the krill group, stiffness was 39 percent improved, and
function was 36 percent improved, versus no improvement in the placebo
group. The subjects receiving krill were able to lower their
acetaminophen intake by 32 percent, while those on placebo reduced
theirs significantly less (6 percent).
Another finding from this trial was that krill oil significantly reduced CRP.8
This blood protein is a useful marker for inflammatory activity
occurring virtually anywhere in the body. Ongoing inflammation is a
risk factor for poor health, wherever it occurs, in the gums for
example.9 Best measured by an inexpensive test called
“highly sensitive CRP” test (hsCRP), elevated CRP is a strong predictor
of future risk for cardiovascular or brain “adverse events.”10
Assessing cardiovascular risk via CRP testing is a useful complement to
cholesterol testing, especially since cholesterol assessment falls far
short of predicting all cardiovascular risk.11
n this trial krill oil reduced CRP by 19 percent at day 7, compared to a 16 percent increase in the placebo group.8
The increase in the placebo subjects likely was related to their being
taken off their anti-inflammatory medications (except for
acetaminophen). At day 30 CRP was reduced by 31 percent in the krill
group but was increased by 25 percent in the placebo group. The ability
to lower CRP is a valuable contribution of krill oil to healthy
immunity and cardiovascular function, and therefore to health overall.
Krill’s Vital Lipids Build Cell Membranes, Ensure Cell Functions
Every cell has a membrane system that performs most of the necessary life processes.12
Membranes are thin, interconnecting molecular sheets that define the
cell’s outer border and extend into the cell interior. The membrane’s
foundation or matrix consists mostly of phospholipids with fatty acids
attached (DHA and EPA, for example). Numerous catalytic proteins are
inserted into this matrix, and these must be free to move, which
requires the matrix be semi-fluid. The omega-3 phospholipids of krill
provide this natural fluidizing effect.
For humans as well as for krill, omega-3 phospholipids are natural
cell membrane fluidizers. They also drive metabolism: since fluidity
facilitates the membrane proteins, the higher the omega-3 phospholipid
content in a membrane the higher its metabolic activity.13
PhosphatidylCholine (PC) is the most common phospholipid in all human
cells,12 and krill oil complex is an excellent dietary source of
omega-3 PC carrying DHA and EPA.
Antarctic Krill Oil Complex, A Dietary Supplement Breakthrough
Fish stocks worldwide are threatened with depletion, due to unsustainable fishing practices.14
Krill stocks are not. A visionary international cooperation begun in
1982 continues to ensure that Antarctic krill harvesting remains
sustainable. In that year the CCAMLR, the Convention on the
Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, was founded as a
multinational organization to exclusively set and regulate
“precautionary” catch quotas for the krill and other Antarctic
fisheries.15
Real Krill comes from Antarctic krill fished using proprietary
eco-harvesting techniques. Developed in close cooperation with the
World Wildlife Fund, these advanced techniques virtually eliminate
“by-catch” problems, combat illegal fishing, and facilitate scientific
documentation of the krill fishery. The post-catch krill processing is
also a major advance, using a nontoxic solvent (ethanol) to help
produce krill oil with the highest available levels of omega-3s and
phospholipids, free of environmental chemical contamination.
Fish oils are a popular dietary supplement category, yet they do not
predictably improve cholesterol management7 or lower CRP,16 nor do they
consistently benefit mood management as seen in the premenstrual trial.4 Krill oil provides a broader spectrum of benefits than does fish oil, and at much lower daily intakes.
How to Use Real Krill
Each softgel capsule of this breakthrough dietary supplement
provides 350 mg of highest-grade Antarctic krill oil complex. As
maintenance intake, take 1 softgel daily with a small meal. To support
healthy mood management, take 2-3 softgels per day. To support healthy
blood lipid management and joint health, take 3 softgels per day. This
supplement is not vegetarian and may not be suitable for individuals
with seafood allergies.
Cell membranes are fundamental to life processes, and Real Krill is
a cell membrane supplement remarkable for its superior support of the
brain,4 circulation,7 immune system,8 joints,8 heart,17 and liver,17,18 and for health and wellbeing overall.
Prepared for Doctor’s Best by Parris M. Kidd, PhD.
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