Krill Oil Beats Fish Oil for Glucose Control

OSLO, NorwayDocosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) from fish oil did not affect gene regulation in the liver as much as an equal dose of DHA and EPA from krill oil, according to a recent study (Front. Gene.2011 June 25;(2)45. DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2011.00045). This study suggests supplements made with omega-3 fatty acids in the phospholipids form (krill oil) have a greater impact on health compared to the triglyceride form (fish oil).

In the study, krill oil downregulated the activity of pathways involved in hepatic glucose production as well as lipid and cholesterol synthesis. The data also suggested krill oil-supplementation increased the activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Fish oil modulated fewer pathways than a krill oil-supplemented diet and did not modulate key metabolic pathways regulated by krill oil, including glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism and the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Moreover, fish oil upregulated the cholesterol synthesis pathway, which was the opposite effect of krill supplementation

The study, published in Frontiers in Nutrigenomics, investigated the regulation of 20,118 genes in mouse liver. Mice were given three different diets for three months: one control diet without omega-3, one diet supplemented with krill oil, and one diet supplemented with fish oil. The diets supplemented with omega-3 contained the same level of the two omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA.

Due to the interesting findings in the reported study, Aker BioMarine, supplier of the Superba krill oil that was used in this study, has now initiated a study where the effects on hepatic lipid, glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function will be studied in more detail. Researchers from Aker BioMarine were among the authors of this study.

A previous study of the contents of Superba krill oil found a total of 69 choline-containing phospholipids, the majority of which contained omega-3 fatty acids.