A recent study by researchers at the Université de Sherbrooke in Canada evaluated the effects of krill oil versus fish oil on plasma levels of omega-3 fatty acids in a 12-week trial involving 72 healthy adults. Participants taking krill oil experienced a 1.5-fold greater increase in plasma EPA and DHA levels compared to those consuming fish oil, despite both groups receiving an equivalent daily dosage of around 1.1 grams of omega-3s.
The research highlighted the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids (particularly EPA and DHA) and discussed how factors like sex, APOE4 genotype, and the chemical form of the supplement can influence their levels post-supplementation. Krill oil delivers omega-3s in phospholipid form, while fish oil provides them as triglycerides. This structural difference may account for the greater enrichment of omega-3s noted with krill oil.
The study also examined the influence of sex and APOE4 carrier status on omega-3 response. It was found that females had greater plasma increases of EPA compared to males, while differences in DHA levels were not significant based on sex. Importantly, both APOE4 carriers and non-carriers showed increases in omega-3 levels, suggesting the benefits of krill oil are independent of this genetic variant.
While the findings are promising, especially for those with higher omega-3 requirements, researchers cautioned against generalizing results beyond the healthy sample tested and noted that higher plasma levels do not necessarily guarantee better health outcomes.
