Superior Support for Optimal Nutrition, Cardiovascular Health, Inflammatory Conditions and PMS

Krill Oil has been gaining popularity as a nutritional supplement over the years, but many don’t know where it comes from or what it is for. At Optimum Health, Krill Oil has been a standby for years to help headaches, PMS, hyperlipidemia, joint pain and mental function. But what is it?

Krill is a very small, shrimp-like zooplankton and is technically classified as a crustacean in the superorder of Euphausiacea. It is one of the most abundant biomasses on the planet and occurs in all oceans internationally. The most common krill species used in Neptune Krill Oil supplements is an Antarctic variety called Euphasia Superba.

This particular variety is used due to its chemical characteristics and because of its massive presence (making up the estimated biomass of 500,000,000 tonnes). Krill is extremely clean, containing very low levels of oceanic contaminants such as heavy metals, PCBs, dioxins and pesticides. (Any levels that are detectable are reduced during processing.) This is because of its low position on the food chain. It is the main food source for many whales, seals, penguins, squid and fish. And for those that are concerned about our impact on krill populations in the ocean, it should be known that current numbers worldwide indicate that only 2% of the allowable krill fishing quota is being utilized.

The most common reasons people take krill oil is for its Omega-3 essential fatty acid content, and/or its anti-inflammatory properties. And even though the omega-3 (EPA/DHA) content of Krill is much lower than that of fish, this is offset by the way krill oil is packaged by nature, providing a very special delivery system. The fatty acids in krill are bound to phospholipids. This makes them extremely easy to absorb, and dramatically increases the ease with which the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats penetrate your tissues. With its complete absorption, this also eliminates any gut intolerance or burping fish taste that is so common with fish oil. At the same time, the fatty acids are well protected from oxidation by krill’s naturally occurring potent antioxidants, such as astaxanthin, (which gives krill oil its red color). This means that virtually 100% of what you swallow will be directly absorbed and utilized.

The ORAC value (antioxidant potential) offered by Neptune Krill Oil is also part of its appeal. ORAC measures the ability of a substance to neutralize free radicals, and NKO has consistently displayed a 300times greater ORAC potential than Vitamin A and E, and 48 times greater than standard fish oils. Also, because of its high antioxidant content and phospholipid content, NKO is extremely stable and will not go rancid like other more unstable fats, such as fish oil…neither in the body, nor in the bottle.

So, even though, like any supplement, you don’t want to let it get hot, krill oil does not need to be kept refrigerated. On the other hand the benefit of refrigerating krill is that it reduces the strong characteristic odor. (If you do refrigerate it, do not be surprised when the capsules turn from being clear to being opaque.)

The research on NKO has centered around hyperlipidemia, inflammation, and pre-menstrual syndrome.

Hyperlipidemia: In an article from the December 2004 issue of Alternative Medicine Review, it was concluded that:
“krill oil’s unique biomolecular profile of Omega 3 fatty acids already incorporated into phospholipids has exhibited a lipid-lowering effect at the level of the small intestine, which distinguishes krill oil from other known lipid-lowering principals.” Furthermore, “the results of the clinical trial (observed) demonstrate that daily doses of 1-3g krill oil are significantly more effective than 3g EPA/DHA fish oil in the management of hyperlipidemia…. [and] a maintenance dose of 500mg krill oil is significantly effective for long-term regulation of blood lipids.” (pp.420-427) In another study by Neptune Technologies and BioResources, it was determined that NKO lead to a 34% LDL reduction and a 44% HDL cholesterol increase when compared to fish oil! When tested against the performance of statin drugs, NKO consistently outperformed them by providing a 37% decrease in LDL and 51% increase in HDL cholesterol.

Inflammation: Due to the well-known fact that antioxidant capacity is intimately tied to the regulation of inflammation, it is no surprise that numerous studies on Krill Oil have exhibited its superior performance in the realm of inflammation modulation. In clinical trials of Neptune Krill Oil against placebo, it was found to exhibit a 30% reduction in relieving chronic inflammation over a period of 30 days. This was at the small dose of 300mg daily! Krill oil’s anti-inflammatory potential also works to balance out a very broad range of inflammatory molecules.

Pre-Menstrual Syndrome: Perhaps due to its effect on the endocrine system and in reducing inflammation, Krill Oil is gaining notoriety for its effect on the symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome. In a well-known clinical trial published by Neptune Technologies and BioResources, it was determined that NKO exhibited a 42% improvement of both physical and emotional symptoms of PMS, when compared to fish oil!

All in all, the findings of this research can be extended to use Krill Oil for a general nutritional supplement in your health regime or as a support of numerous other indications including:

• Antioxidant supplement
• Brain and nerve function (due to prevalence of phospholipids)
• Cardiovascular support
• Essential fat supplement (contains Omega 3, 6 and 9)