How Does Krill Oil Supplementation Compare to Fish Oil Supplements? (July 2012)

Obtaining our Omega-3-fatty acid intake tends to be easier than we think. One can take 1-2 gm of fish oil via supplements or consume several servings of fatty fish per week. What about Krill oil for n-3 fatty acids? This has become a hot topic lately.

N-3 fatty acids may include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is mainly from plant sources, EPA and DHA which are from marine sources (fish and algae) as well as supplements. We typically fish oil supplements containing 180-300 mg EPA and 120-200 mg DHA per 2 capsules.

Krill oil has become the trend and people inquire where krill is from? Krill is the oil from shrimp-like crustacean that feeds off algae in the deep ocean waters which is a significant food source for animals high up on the food chain such as whales, seals and fish. Krill oil does contain both EPA and DHA, but does have a small amount than fish oil.

Patients have asked me if they can reduce their triglycerides with krill supplements. Consuming EPA/DHA supplements have been shown to reduce triglycerides (>200). Together, DHA and EPA are associated with lower risk of fatal cardiac events, and DHA is associated with lower risk of atrial fibrillation. EPA, but not DHA, is associated with lower risk of non-fatal risk cardiovascular events in some studies. Overall, the review noted, studies of EPA and DHA separately are relatively limited to date. The US Food and Drug Administration advice that no more than 3 gm of n-3 fatty acids per day be consumed as this may cause gastrointestinal symptoms.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans average intake of seafood in the U.S. is approximately 3.5 oz./wk. the guidelines recommend increased consumption of two servings of fish per week (4 oz.=one serving) due to the range of nutrients fish provide in addition to DHA and EPA.

Since there is a lack of information regarding krill oil supplementation at this time it would be most effective to continue with omega-3 fatty acid supplementation until there is more evidence that this would be the way to go from a coronary artery disease perspective.