Krill oil for kids

Can kids take krill oil?

Adults are not the only ones deficient in omega-3s. Taking an omega-3 supplement such as krill oil may be especially beneficial for kids. Back in 1996, for instance, Purdue University researchers found that 6-12 year-old boys who had behavior, learning and/or health problems had low blood levels of omega-3s and phospholipids. ¹

Liquid krill oil ideal for children 

Krill oil manufacturer Azantis launched a liquid krill oil for children in February 2013. The product has a sweet orange taste and can be blended with water, applesauce, smoothie, yogurt or juice. Most children don't like to take softgel pills and also resist cod liver oil. Read the WellWise liquid krill oil review.

In 2000, an Oxford team led by researcher Alex Richardson looked at 41 British kids 8-12 years old who had ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). After 12 weeks of supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids, the kids demonstrated big improvements in 7 of 14 measures administered.² Such results strongly suggests a relationship between fatty acid levels and overall brain health.

WellWise blogger (and WellWise president), Debi Elliott, is a licensed professional counselor specializing in QEEG brain mapping, neurofeedback and biofeedback applications. Debi has written extensively about the positive effects of omega-3s on the brain. Many of her clients are kids with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD, some of the most common brain-health disorders of childhood. She often recommends krill oil supplementation to the parents of these kids.

In May of 2011, Europe gave the green light to manufacturers of omega-3 products to put the following health claim on their packages: "Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake contributes to the normal visual development of infants up to 12 months of age." The dosage that regulators said achieves the beneficial effect is a daily intake of 100 mg.

Choline in krill oil is good for kids’ brains

One of the main reasons that krill oil could be good for kids is choline. In the body, choline produces acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that carries electrical signals from nerve cells. Choline is important for memory and other brain functions, and muscle control.  

Krill oil may be easier for kids to take than fish oil

Many people find that taking fish oil, either in liquid or capsule form, causes them to burp a fishy taste and odor afterward. Few people, however, find this to be the case with krill oil, probably because it is phospholipid based rather than triglyceride based as is the case with fish oil.

In addition, krill oil capsules are considerably smaller than fish-oil capsules, making them easier to swallow and thus less likely to cause kids to choke on them.

1. Stevens LJ, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids in boys with behavior, learning, and health problems. Physiol Behav 1996 Apr-May;59(4-5):915-20.

2. Richardson AJ, Puri BK. The potential role of fatty acids in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2000 Jul-Aug;63(1-2):79-87.

You can read about other benefits of krill oil here.