Krill oil is a supplemental source of powerful antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and phosholipids derived from tiny crustaceans harvested largely in the Southern Ocean waters of the Antarctic. Krill oil proponents claim that it is essentially a superior form of omega-3s. Krill contain a rather unique reddish antioxidant called astaxanthin, and they're also rich in phospholipids, which help emulsify fatty acids and enhance their absorption and retention.
A new study presented in the Journal of Nutrition appears to support this point of view. Research conducted in a group of overweight rats found that krill oil provoked a 42% decrease in fat (triglyceride) build-up in the hearts of the test rats. Fish oil only lead to a marginal decline in cardio-lipids of 2%. When the authors of the study examined the livers of these animals, they discovered a 60% reduction in fat in their livers, as opposed to 38% in the livers of rats fed fish oil. The normalization of fat content in the heart and liver indicate potential benefits to overall heart function and an improvement in insulin sensitivity, which can be impaired in cases of fatty liver disease. In addition, the krill oil test subjects exhibited positive changes associated with a reduced "inflammatory response".
When I looked over all of the reliable data I could find about krill oil, I came to the following conclusion. Krill oil seems to be an extremely promising antioxidant/omega-3 supplement. Substantial evidence suggests that the astaxanthin content of krill largely contributes to its net effect. Astaxanthin is the same carotenoid that gives wild salmon its pink hue. But there may also be something to the phospholipid content of this crustacean. That's the only explanation I've found as to why a lower dosage of KO could produce equal or greater effects than higher dosages of fish oil.
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