Widely recognized as the improved version of fish oil, Krill Oil is literally jumping out of the shelves in stores worldwide.
Below you can find the reasons for this buzz, suggestions on how to choose the right krill oil and the 10 best krill oil supplements I could find in the market.
Krill Oil Basics
Krill Oil is a supplement containing powerful antioxidants, omega-3 and phospholipids.
Extracted from small crustaceans caught in the waters south of the Antarctic Ocean, Krill Oil is essentially a superior form of omega-3, 3x times stronger than the usual fish oil.
While Krill and other fish oils have similar effects in cholesterol and glucose levels, Krill anti-inflammatory effect is a lot better.
This main difference is that Krill Oil has a lot more Astaxanthin, a red colour antioxidant that prevents inflammatory and degenerative diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer.
However, there are some more Krill Oil benefits which make it one of the most looked for supplements in the market at the moment.
Krill Oil Studies
In a study presented by the “Journal of Nutrition” it was revealed that Krill Oil also has weight loss & generic health properties through the reduction of fat. The study results indicated a loss of 42% accumulated fat around the heart as well as a marginal decrease of lipids in the heart by 2%.
The same study also indicated a fantastic loss of 60% liver fat using Krill Oil against a 38% reduction with normal fish oil.
The standardization of the fat content of heart and liver indicates potential benefits for the cardiovascular system and an improvement in insulin sensitivity, which can be compromised in cases of fatty liver.
Finally, this study also revealed positive changes with the anti-inflammatory capacity of those who took Krill Oil.
This wasn’t the only study carried out on Krill benefits. There are claims that in addition to the usual (cardiovascular health, lower bad cholesterol …), Krill Oil also showed anticancer benefits by slowing down cancer cells growth.
Overview
It’s important to note that fish oil has been extensively studied in recent decades. There were hundreds of published studies on the health benefits of omega-3 contained in fish while there are less than 10 studies on Krill Oil presented till today in respected medical journals.
However, when I checked all serious data that I gathered about Krill Oil, I came to the conclusion that Krill Oil appears to be an extremely promising omega-3/antioxidant supplement.
There is substantial evidence that the quantity of Astaxanthin in Krill Oil contributes significantly in giving it better effects than the usual fish oil and everyone who tried seems to love it.
How to Choose the Best Krill Oil
To find the best Krill Oil supplement, you need to have its basics ingredients in mind. We will be looking for the following numbers in the product labels:
Serving Size: You will need this to be at least 1000mg in most supplements. There are certain options in the market that have 500mg and are still quite good due to the % of necessary ingredients. However, as a general rule stick to big servings – supplements with small serving sizes are usually not ideal, expect rare cases.
Omega-3 Quantity: The usual fish oil benefits come from omega-3 and Krill is no exception. You want this number to be as high as possible.
Phospholipids: Krill Oil is generally fairly high in phospholipids. You want this number to be high as well, otherwise you will be buying bad quality product. Look for roughly 400mg per 1000mg serving of Krill Oil.
EPA and DHA: Those two will get you some great health benefits so the more your supplement provides you with, the better.
Astaxanthin: We saw before just how important this ingredient is (sets the difference between Fish and Krill Oil) and as such you also want this number to be as high as possible within the serving and combined with the rest of ingredients.
So let’s take a look at the Best Krill Oil Supplements out there (based on quality & price):
Best Krill Oil Supplements
1. Jarrow Formulas Krill Oil – Recommended
Features:
- 100% Pure Antarctic Krill Oil
- 1200mg per serving (2 softgels)
- 230mg Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- 420mg Omega-3 Phospholipids
- 115mg EPA
- 65mg DHA
- 50mcg Astaxanthin
Company Origin: United States
Krill Origin: Antarctic
Price: $33.95 per bottle (30 days)
Availability: Worldwide
Comments: Jarrow Formulas Krill Oil is our favourite Krill Oil. It has a huge service size of 1200mg and all the right stats on the other ingredientes.
To learn more visit: vitaminshoppe.com
2. Neptune Krill Oil– Recommended
Features:
- 100% Pure Antarctic Krill Oil
- 1000mg per serving (2 softgels)
- 300mg Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- 400mg Omega-3 Phospholipids
- 150mg EPA
- 90mg DHA
- 20mg Omega 6
- 480mcg Astaxanthin
Company Origin: Quebec, Canada
Krill Origin: Antarctic
Price: $24.99 per bottle (30 days)
Availability: Worldwide
Comments: Discloses information on all the minimal values and has a fantastic quantity of Astaxanthin. It’s just behind Jarrow Formulas Krill Oil due to the lower serving size and slightly higher price but it’s a fantastic alternative.
To learn more visit: vitaminshoppe.com
3. Mercola Krill Oil
Features:
- 100% Pure Antarctic Krill Oil
- 1000mg per serving (2 softgels)
- 400mg Omega-3 Phospholipids
- 100mg EPA
- 55mg DHA
- 20mg Omega 6
- 1mg Astaxanthin
Company Origin: United States
Krill Origin: Antarctic
Price: $29.99 per bottle (30 days)
Availability: Worldwide
Comments: A stunning value of 1mg (1000mcg of Astaxanthin) makes it stand out of the crowd. However, some stats are lower than they should be and Omega-3 Fatty Acids quantity isn’t disclosed. It was produced by Dr. Mercola, a New York Times Best-Selling Author.
To learn more visit: vitaminshoppe.com
4. Natural Dynamyx Krill Oil Dx
Features:
- 100% Pure Antarctic Krill Oil
- 1000mg per serving (2 softgels)
- 420mg Omega-3 Phospholipids
- 150mg EPA
- 90mg DHA
- 20mg Omega 6
- 1.5mg Astaxanthin
Company Origin: United States
Krill Origin: Antarctic
Price: $29.99 per bottle (30 days)
Availability: Worldwide
Comments: A stunning 1.5mg (1500mcg) of Astaxanthin and generally good stats all around makes Krill Oil DX another great choice. It’s just behind other brands because it doesn’t have as much customer feedback yet.
To learn more visit: vitaminshoppe.com
5. Natrol Omega-3 Krill Oil
Features:
- 100% Pure Antarctic Krill Oil
- 1000mg per serving (1 softgel)
- 220mg Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- 400mg Omega-3 Phospholipids
- 120mg EPA
- 55mg DHA
- 100mcg Astaxanthin
Company Origin: Los Angeles, United States
Krill Origin: Antarctic
Price: $27 per bottle (30 days)
Availability: Worldwide
Comments: With a great 1000mg serving and good numbers in most stats, Natrol Omega-3 Krill Oil is another great option. It lacks customer reviews & feedback since it’s fairly new in the market, but it has a renowned company behind it that ensures product quality.
To learn more visit: vitaminshoppe.com
6. Krill Oil Omega 3
Features:
- 100% Pure Antarctic Krill Oil
- 500mg per serving (2 softgels)
- 240mg Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- 430mg Omega-3 Phospholipids
- 140mg EPA
- 65mg DHA
Company Origin: Kent, United Kingdom
Krill Origin: Antarctic
Price: $24 / £19.99 per bottle (30 days)
Availability: Worldwide
Comments: Evolution Slimming Krill Oil Omega 3 is another great Krill Oil Supplement. Their serving, EPA and DHA values are lower than Krill Doctor but the disclosed value of phospholipids is very interesting. On the negative we have the lack of disclosure on Astaxanthin and the price. However, it’s produced by a recognized company and is another great option.
To learn more visit: evolution-slimming.com
7. Vitamin Shoppe Krill Oil
Features:
- 100% Pure Antarctic Krill Oil
- 500mg per serving (2 softgels)
- 150mg Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- 210mg Omega-3 Phospholipids
- 75mg EPA
- 45mg DHA
- 0.75mg Astaxanthin
Company Origin: United States
Krill Origin: Antarctic
Price: $23.99 per bottle (30 days)
Availability: Worldwide
Comments: Good value of Astaxanthin, but that’s the only stand out on this branded Vitamin Shoppe Krill Oil.
To learn more visit: vitaminshoppe.com
8. Megared Extra Strength Omega 3 Krill Oil
Features:
- 100% Pure Antarctic Krill Oil
- 500mg per serving (2 softgels)
- 115mg Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- 167mg Omega-3 Phospholipids
- 64mg EPA
- 30mg DHA
Company Origin: Slough, United Kingdom
Krill Origin: Antarctic
Price: $34.99 per bottle (30 days)
Availability: Worldwide
Comments: One of the oldest Krill Oils out there has created their brand new “extra strength” version. However, despite all the buzz around it, Megared still leaves a lot to wish for. No disclosure on Astaxanthin quantity and lower overall stats on other ingredients means that there are at least 5 other Krill Oils ahead of them.
To learn more visit: vitaminshoppe.com
9. Mercola 100% Pure Krill Oil For Women
Features:
- 100% Pure Antarctic Krill Oil
- 1000mg per serving (2 softgels)
- 400mg Omega-3 Phospholipids
- 100mg EPA
- 55mg DHA
- 20mg Omega 6
- 500mg organic evening primrose oil
- 1mg Astaxanthin
Company Origin: United States
Krill Origin: Antarctic
Price: $34.99 per bottle (30 days)
Availability: Worldwide
Comments: Dr. Mercola created several Krill Oils and added them ingredients that would benefit certain genders or ages. This female version in particular is very interesting and seems to be loved by the woman who tried it.
To learn more visit: vitaminshoppe.com
10. Natures Way Krill Oil
Features:
- 100% Pure Antarctic Krill Oil
- 500mg per serving (2 softgels)
- 220mg Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- 400mg Omega-3 Phospholipids
- 120mg EPA
- 55mg DHA
- 80mcg Astaxanthin
Company Origin: Lehi, United States
Krill Origin: Antarctic
Price: $24.99 per bottle (30 days)
Availability: Worldwide
Comments: 80mcg of Astaxanthin is lower than it should be and the other majority of other stats are just ranging the recommended minimum. It’s far from being perfect, but its users seem to love it.
To learn more visit: vitaminshoppe.com
Krill Doctor is amazing.
I am 47 years old and I just love it since it makes me feel great – brilliant product!