Krill Oil Supplements

What people take krill oil for

Krill oil provides the same long-chain omega-3s as fish oil — EPA and DHA — which the body uses to help maintain cardiovascular health and support normal brain function. It also delivers astaxanthin, a naturally occurring antioxidant. People often choose krill oil when they want a smaller daily softgel, or when regular fish oil leaves them with a fishy aftertaste.

Krill oil vs fish oil

The main difference is how the omega-3s are carried. In fish oil, EPA and DHA are usually attached to triglycerides; in krill oil they're attached to phospholipids, which some research suggests the body absorbs readily. Krill oil also comes with astaxanthin built in and tends to cause less fishy repeat. Fish oil, in turn, usually provides more total EPA and DHA per softgel, so it can take fewer capsules to reach a higher omega-3 dose. Neither is simply better — it comes down to whether you want a higher omega-3 dose (fish oil) or a smaller, phospholipid-based softgel with astaxanthin (krill).

How to choose a krill oil

• Strength: softgels are usually 500 mg or 1000 mg of oil. The bigger number means fewer capsules for the same amount — not necessarily more omega-3, so check the EPA and DHA figures on the label.
• NKO (Neptune Krill Oil): a standardized, traceable krill oil source you'll see named on products from brands like Trophic and NOW.
• Astaxanthin: all krill oil contains some; a few products, such as Biomed AstaKrill, add extra astaxanthin.
• Combination formulas: some pair krill with CoQ10 (NOW) or vitamin E (Biomed TocoKrill).
• Enteric-coated softgels are designed to dissolve further down to reduce fishy repeat.

Krill oil and shellfish — please read

Krill are crustaceans, so krill oil is not suitable if you have a shellfish allergy — an algae-based omega-3 is a better route to EPA and DHA in that case. Omega-3s can also have a mild blood-thinning effect, so if you take a blood thinner or have surgery scheduled, check with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Krill oil in Canada

Every krill oil here is stocked in Canada and ships from our Ontario warehouse.