Krill Oil vs Fish Oil: New Scientific Evidence

In a previous blog, I discussed the cost and benefits of Krill oil vs Fish Oil. The message was: Krill oil is definitely better than fish oil, but only a little bit. An unpublished study presented by Neptune Krill Oil (NKO) in 2009 showed that Krill oil was about 30 to 40% better at getting Omega-3 incorporated into your body.

A New Clinical Study: Same Results

Now, a new study was just published by Aker BioMarine, the makers of Superba krill oil. The study titled Metabolic Effects of Krill Oil are Essentially Similar to Those of Fish Oil but at Lower Dose of EPA and DHA, in Healthy Volunteers was published in the Nov. 2010 issue of Lipids Journal. See first page of study here. In this paper, we once again, get confirmation that krill oil is better than fish oil. But again, only by a little bit.

Here is the result in a nutshell:

The health benefits of 1000 mg of fish oil Omega-3 can be had with about 650 mg of Krill oil Omega-3. In other words, Krill oil is 1.5X better than Fish Oil.

Practical Example: MegaRed Krill Oil has 90 mg of Omega-3 from Superba Krill Oil. Based on this new research, you will need 7 to 8 MegaRed pills to equal 1000 mg of Omega-3 from fish oil. At $0.49 per pill, that’s $3.92 per day (Walgreens price). Patients in this study took the equivalent of 7 MegaRed pills a day, and yet, there was no reduction in triglycerides or cholesterol. MegaRed packaging and marketing materials suggest a dosage of just one small pill per day.

Krill Oil vs Fish Oil: Study Conclusions

1. There is no difference in how much Omega-3 is absorbed into your body
2. No difference in markers of oxidative stress (F2-isoprostane)*
3. No difference in C-reactive protein*

Krill Oil’s Little Surprise!

For the most part, this paper says that krill oil is better than fish oil. But there was a nasty little surprise hidden in there! Unlike fish oil, Krill oil increases the level of Arachidonic acid (AA) in your body. Yikes! AA is a nasty little Omega-6 that causes a lot of health problems if its levels are too high. Dr. Barry Sears calls AA “possibly the most dangerous fat known.” Your body needs tiny little amounts of AA, but get a little more than you need…and you have the perfect ingredient to create poor health.   If you’re perfectly healthy, a little bit of AA won’t hurt you, but if you have any inflammatory disease, even a little extra AA will make your life miserable.

Bottom-line - Krill oil vs Fish oil:

Based on this study (read the study here),

• Krill oil is still better than fish oil.
• Krill oil is 1.5X times better than fish oil.
• Krill oil may increase Arachidonic Acid
• There is no difference between Krill oil and Fish oil when it comes to other health markers.

But Krill oil is 10X more expensive than fish oil (on an Omega-3 basis.) Why consumers continue to buy and pay 10X more for a product that provides only 1.5X more benefit will continue to astound me. The authors of the study did not do this, but I suspect that if they had compared Krill oil vs Fish Oil in EHTYL ESTER form, Krill may have performed even better. Possibly 2X better? But still, in my opinion, 2X better does not justify a 10X premium in price.  

“Thou shalt not piggyback flax on omega-3 DHA and EPA fish oil science. Same to you, krill." - Todd Runestad, The 10 Commandments of Ingredient Sourcing, in Functional Ingredients magazine.

  So the last word on Krill oil is far from written.   * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.