Krill Oil vs Fish Oil
When comparing krill oil vs fish oil, you notice immediately the benefits of krill oil by published results of clinical trials and scientific research conducted by doctors and other health professionals over the past twenty years.
While fish oil is indeed good for the body, certain factors of fish oil tend to decrease fish oil’s ability to enhance overall health. Those negative factors are not found with krill oil – which in addition has several distinct advantages of its own.
Krill Oil vs Fish Oil: Fish Oil Problems
Problems that have emerged with fish oil supplements used to improve specific health conditions include:
- Contamination of fish due to heavy metals such as mercury or cadmium and PCBs
- Digestive issues and “fishy” belching
- Nausea or bloating
- Bleeding
- Adverse drug interactions
- Fish oil can reduce levels of vitamin E
Mercury is one of the most toxic natural substances we know. Mercury can be (and is often) present in fish, and thus in fish oil. In contrast there is little to no mercury in krill oil.
Fish used in the manufacturing of fish oil come from all areas of the world oceans, many of which have heavy toxic pollutants such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls, now classified as a ‘persistent organic pollutant’ – very toxic). Link to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polychlorinated_biphenyl
The fish used in the production of fish oil include:
- Tuna
- Cod
- Salmon
- Swordfish
- Halibut
- Shark
- Red snapper
In examining dissimilarities between krill oil vs fish oil, you need to know that fish such as cod, shark and swordfish use their liver as a major detoxifying component of their filtering system – thus the oil made from that kind of fish liver may well contain toxins. This is why PCB levels may be higher in fish oil supplements than krill oil supplements.
By contrast, krill primarily come from the Antarctic Ocean, where krill tend to remain in deeper levels, still relatively free of the harmful pollutants contaminating large areas of the Pacific andAtlanticOceans.
In addition, krill oil incorporates a large part of beneficial fatty acids using phospholipids, which fish oil does not. Phospholipids constitute vital structures comprising membranes of all human cell types, while also maintaining the healthy functioning and permeability of these cell membranes.
Phytoplankton and Krill Oil
What is krill oil? Extracted from crustaceans resembling tiny shrimp that are called krill, the good stuff in krill oil is both directly produced by krill and consumed by them as they consume the phytoplankton living in the ocean.
This phytoplankton contains many vital nutrients, such as astaxanthin, which is a so-called super-antioxidant (good for lots of things in humans).
So, you can hardly discuss krill oil vs fish oil, without addressing the roll Phytoplankton play.
Phytoplankton are microscopic sea plants which produce about half of the Earth’s oxygen and represent the foundation of the marine food chain by providing food for small sea organisms, such as krill, which help sustain other marine animals such as fish and whales.
These tiny, nutrient-rich plants (phytoplankton), which contribute to the longevity of large sea creatures, are full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that heavily contribute to krill oil benefits.
Link to WikiPedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytoplankton
Krill Oil vs Fish Oil: Krill Oil Benefits
Although the health benefits of fish oil certainly exist, the benefits of krill oil are bigger and better because krill oil contains richer and more potent elements.
These include antioxidants in the form of natural astaxanthin found in krill through the phytoplankton they consume. Also, the astaxanthin and electrolytes in phytoplankton help maintain the body’s healthy homeostasis, such as:
- Improve cognition with lipids
- Fight against Parkinson’s disease, ADHD and senility
- Reduce the pain of inflamed joints
- Stabilize blood sugar levels
- Reduce bad cholesterol levels
- Ease symptoms of psoriasis and dermatitis
- Contribute vital nutrients to the body such as vitamin B12, C, potassium, magnesium and chlorophyll
- Contribute to liver and eye health
- Reduce insomnia
- Decrease fatigue and increases energy levels
Additionally, the results of contrasting krill oil vs fish oil advantages point to krill outweighing the health benefits of fish oil because krill oil contains astaxanthin, and the astaxanthin benefits are big indeed.
Astaxanthin is an antioxidant produced only in phytoplankton, algae, fungi and certain kinds of bacteria. Antioxidants are known to eliminate free radicals and their damaging effects on the human body, and astaxanthin is actually a so-called super antioxidant.
What is an Antioxidant?
Antioxidants, such as astaxanthin, are molecules that delay the process of cell damage due to oxidation from radiation, viruses, diseases and chemicals.
Atoms emerging from these oxidizing elements are “free radicals”, which thrive on electrons. Free radicals snatching electrons from our healthy cells cause damage to our cells.
Super-antioxidants are particularly powerful oxidants, several times more effective than normal antioxidants.
The super-antioxidant of astaxanthin contained in krill oil can contribute to maintaining proper functioning of cells by eliminating these detrimental atoms (free radicals).
Krill Oil vs Fish Oil: Astaxanthin Benefits
Comparing krill oil vs fish oil benefits information shows that fish oil does not provide the potency that krill oil does because of the special antioxidants found in krill oil. Specifically, astaxanthin improves:
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases
- Cholesterol disease
- Inflammatory diseases
- Autoimmune diseases
- Dyspepsia
- Semen fertility
- Muscle and joint function
- Cardiac arrhythmia
- Hypertension and stress
Krill Oil or Fish Oil?
While fish oil is definitely beneficial to your health, in the krill oil vs fish oil debate, krill oil contains several advantages over fish oil that are worth noting before deciding which supplement to take:
- Omega-3 from krill oil reduces heart and liver fat better than omega-3 from fish oil
- Krill is one of only two natural supplements to have astaxanthin
- Astaxanthin is able to cross the blood/brain barrier, directly benefiting the central nervous system
- Krill oil contains phospholipids, which enhance cell functioning
- Krill oil does not decompose as quickly as fish oil
- Krill oil does not contain pollutants and PCBs because of their location in the cleanAntarctic Ocean
- No fishy aftertaste associated with taking krill oil supplements
- Krill is a renewable form of antioxidant
- No mercury like that found in the fish used to make fish oil
- Krill oil is easier to digest
- Studies conducted by NKO have revealed that krill oil’s absorption rate by cell membranes is nearly 20% better than fish oil after taking a supplement for four weeks
- As soon as it is harvested, krill is immediately processed on the ship whereas fish used in producing fish oil are not
Two Drawbacks of Krill Oil: One Possible and One Definite
However, when looking at information regarding krill oil vs fish oil, one drawback of taking krill oil supplements is its ability to thin the blood. While this can be a good thing if you have arteriosclerosis or heart disease, some people who are sensitive to blood thinners may experience problems. In extreme cases these may include spontaneous nosebleeds, heavy menstrual flows or other abnormal bleeding. Also, individuals taking a prescription blood thinner should talk to their physician before using krill oil supplements.
Another drawback of krill oil, this one quite definite, is the price, which is almost always higher than the price of fish oil.
Krill Oil vs Fish Oil: Conclusion
When considering krill oil vs fish oil benefits, the preponderance of scientific studies show krill oil to be the superior supplement. While fish oil is certainly beneficial, krill oil has none of the shortcomings of this supplement and several big advantages.
How big an importance you attach to the higher price of krill oil must depend on how important you think your health is. Personally, I value my health much higher than the relatively small amount of money I might save by relying on the somewhat inferior fish oil supplements rather than the superior krill oil supplements.
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Krill Oil vs Fish Oil
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