Krill Oil
Krill oil comes from krill, a tiny, marine organism that is similar to shrimp. To make krill oil supplements the oil is extracted from krill and placed into capsules.
Krill oil is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for good health. As your body cannot make omega-3s fatty acids they need to be obtained from your diet and/or supplements.
Benefits
Omega 3 fatty acids are beneficial for brain health, eye sight and heart health. The Heart Foundation recommends those with an increased risk of heart disease consume 500mg of omega-3 fatty acids from marine sources each day to lower their risk of heart disease. You can meet these levels by eating two to three 150g serves of oily fish each week. If you don’t eat enough oily fish each week, a supplement such as krill oil may be helpful to help meet your omega-3 requirements.
Evidence
Krill oil is very similar in its omega-3 content to fish oil. The omega-3 fatty acids in both krill and fish oil comes from the algae that these organisms eat.
While some fish oil products carry the Heart Foundation’s Heart Health symbol, no krill oil products carry this symbol at this stage. This is because the Heart Foundation’s omega-3 recommendations are based on extensive research into fish oil, and it is still gathering evidence in relation to krill oil.
Safety
It is important to keep in mind that while krill oil is a natural product, natural products are not always safe and dosage is important.
At this stage, not enough is known about krill oil to work out what range of doses is safe, whether it causes any side effects and if it is safe for all people to consume. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, allergic to seafood, or recovering from surgery, it is recommended that you consult your doctor before taking any krill oil.
Disclaimer
The content displayed on this webpage is intended for informational purposes and is a guide only. It does not replace or substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Information contained on this webpage must be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional before making any decisions or taking any action based on the content of this webpage.
Sources
Heart Foundation
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/Fish-Oil-Consumer-QA.pdf
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/Fish-QA-General.pdf
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/David-Colquhoun02.pdf
