Krill oil
What is krill oil?
Krill is the name for small marine crustaceans that look like small crabs. From a scientific point of view, krill belong to the Euphausia genus. Usually the Euphausia Superba (or Antarctic krill) is the preferred species used to produce krill oil. Krill oil is a supplement that has recently gained increasing attention as an alternative to fish oil.
Where does krill oil come from?
Atlantic krill live in the Atlantic Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica. Krill from the Atlantic is bred in aquacultures for the production of krill oil.
Benefits of krill oil
Krilloil consists of three primary nutritional components. Firstly, krill oil contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are similar to those found in fish oil. Thus, all the benefits of fish oil are directly transferable to krill oil. However, krill also contains other additional components such as omega-3 phospholipids and astaxanthin (an antioxidant). None of these additional components are found in fish oil.
Benefits of krill oil for bodybuilders
There is evidence that omega-3 fatty acids may have anabolic properties that can help increase muscle strength and could therefore be beneficial for bodybuilders. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids support regeneration and joint health due to their anti-inflammatory effects.
Benefits of krill as an antioxidant
The antioxidants contained in krill oil can help promote recovery and improve overall health.
Benefits of krill oil for general health
Some studies have compared the effects of fish oil and krill oil. When krill oil was administered at a lower or comparable dose to fish oil, it was superior to fish oil in its ability to improve blood sugar, triglyceride and cholesterol levels. In other words, gram for gram, krill oil appears to be better for the treatment of cardiovascular disease than fish oil.
Benefits of krill oil for PMS
Some women suffer from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) before menstruation. Symptoms can be emotional in nature but can also include painful cramps. These symptoms can be severe and can be perceived as very disturbing. There is evidence to show that krill oil may be very effective in treating PMS symptoms such as pain and emotional agitation. In addition, its effects appear to be superior to those of a comparable amount of fish oil.
Disadvantages and side effects
One aspect to consider before buying krill oil is the rather high price. Krill oil is far more expensive per gram than fish oil. You should therefore work out whether it is worth buying a product that is basically a concentrated form of fish oil. When used in reasonable doses, krill oil can be considered safe and well tolerated. Krill oil has the added benefit of having a lower potential for side effects such as heartburn or digestive problems compared to fish oil. However, krill oil can cause oily skin in some people.
Recommended intake
The studies mentioned above found that 1 gram of krill oil was effective in improving PMS symptoms and lowering cholesterol levels. The recommended dosage is therefore one gram per day. In most cases, krill oil supplements are available in lower dosages compared to fish oil capsules. Lower-dose capsules can therefore be taken throughout the day with meals without exceeding a daily dose of one gram.
Krill oil supplements
Pure krill oil is often found in capsule form. Because krill oil is anti-inflammatory, it can also be found in some of the better joint support supplements. Neptune Krill Oil (or NOK) is a patented brand of krill oil that has been used in many scientific studies. NOK is therefore the recommended form of krill oil and can be found in good krill oil supplements.
Combinations with other supplements
As krill oil is quite expensive, some people use a mixture of krill oil and fish oil. This is a cost-effective way to benefit from the advantages of krill oil and the lower price of fish oil. In addition, krill oil can be combined with virtually any other supplement.