Omega 3 fatty acids are well-known to help reduce LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels, reduce triglyceride levels (fats from intake of carbohydrates), increase HDL ("good") cholesterol levels, and generally be beneficial to help reduce risk of cardiovascular disease. To learn more about the relationship between heart health and nutrition, check out this link: http://the-sage.org/post/63434127219/re-heart-health-nutrition. To learn more about the role of saturated fats in health, check out this link: http://the-sage.org/post/74172704085/the-truth-behind-saturated-fats. There are three types of Omega 3 fatty acids that we find mostly in food: DHA, EPA, ALA. The body benefits through the use of DHA, so EPA and ALA have to work in the body to develop into DHA. This causes absorption to be slightly affected and takes time for the body to actually use it.

Now that the introduction to how Omega 3 fatty acids are good for you has been covered, let’s talk about the key player: fish oil. Fatty fishes such as salmon, arctic char, mackerel, and sardines have the highest levels of these fatty acids. However, consuming these fish frequent enough to benefit from their Omega 3 content can be difficult. Therefore, fish oil supplements have been developed to help people achieve healthy levels of Omega 3 without consuming high levels of fatty fishes. It is still recommended to consume 2 servings of fish (including fatty ones) as they are generally good for your health and do contain Omega 3 fatty acids. The downside to fish oil is the primary component… fish. Firstly, the fish needed to produce fish oil supplements and supply the world makes it a restricted resource. Secondly, those who do not consume fish do not wish to consume these supplements, but their need for Omega 3 remains unchanged.

Though a lot of various non-fish Omega 3 supplements have been developed (including those derived from sea algae), the newest member on the Omega 3 team is picking up a lot of steam in the media. Introducing: Krill Oil - a species of zooplankton (remember high school science class?) that is in abundance in the earth’s waters, contain a healthy dose of Omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, and come in phospholipid form. Phospholipids are used by our bodies already preferentially, so it has been hypothesized that our bodies absorb Omega 3’s in phospholipid form better. However, this has not been proven in current scientific research.

On the same side of the coin, current research shows that intake of Krill Oil supplements has the same beneficial effect on increasing DHA and EPA levels as does Fish Oil supplements, even though Krill Oil actually contains less DHA and EPA compared to Fish Oil. This supports the hypothesis of the body’s preferred bioavailability of Omega 3s from Krill Oil over Fish Oil, however further research is needed to confirm this. Furthermore, the increase of HDL has the same triglyceride-reducing effect on the body though the exact reason why still not is understood. No differences in reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation have been found between intakes of Fish Oil versus Krill Oil. In fact, these results have been found when using about 65% the amount of Krill Oil over Fish Oil. This means you actually need LESS Krill Oil to achieve the same benefits as Fish Oil. According to current research, it seems as though intake of Krill Oil supplements have the same benefits as intake of Fish Oil supplements, though the regular intake of fish as part of a healthy diet is still recommended.

Key References:

Ulven SM, et al. Metabolic Effects of Krill Oil are Essentially Similar to Those of Fish Oil but at Lower Dose of EPA and DHA, in Healthy Volunteers. Lipids. 2011;46:37-46.

Maki KC, et al. Krill oil supplementation increases plasma concentrations of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in overweight and obese men and women. Nutrition Research. 2009;29:609-615.

Cunningham, E. Are Krill Oil Supplements a Better Source of n-3 Fatty Acids than Fish Oil Supplements? Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2012;112:344.

Happy Eating (even if it means taking Krill Oil supplements)!