Krill Oil Reduces Ill Effects of High-Fat Diet

OSLO, NorwaySuperba krill oil reduced damaging metabolic effects of a high-fat diet in a recent study from researchers in Australia and Italy (Nutr Metab (Lond). 2011 Jul 13;8(1):51. DOI: 10.1186/1743-7075-8-51). The study found Superba helped to normalize the endocannabinoid system, which is dysregulated in obesity, better than two other krill oil formulations.

The study results showed that feeding a high-fat diet to mice compared to animals given a low-fat diet led to an elevation of endocannabinoids (EC), lipid messengers that can activate specific receptors, thereby influencing not only enzyme activities, but also appetite, energy balance, mood, memory, and pain perception. In doing so, the EC system contributes to visceral fat accumulation. Superba krill oil was able to counteract the high fat diet-induced changes in EC levels after eight weeks of treatment. In addition to reducing EC levels in several different tissues, administration of krill oil also exerted lowering effects on triglyceride, cholesterol and a marker of inflammation.

These findings support previous animal and clinical studies performed with Superba krill oil that is characterized by a high content of omega-3 phospholipids," said study author Kjetil Berge, Ph.D. Hence krill oil has a high potential to alleviate metabolic dysfunctions associated with obesity and other metabolic disorders. "

As a consequence of the results seen in preclincal models of obesity, Aker BioMarine, which supplies Superba, has initiated a clinical study to fully unravel the potential of krill in obese subjects. Matts Johansen, executive vice presidnet, sales and marketing, Aker BioMarine, said the preliminary results from this study in obese human subjects are promising, and the company expects to publish them soon.