By reading the label on a krill oil product, you should be able to make a pretty good decision if this is the right product is for you.
The initial clinical studies on krill oil that showed great results were conducted by Neptune Technology and BioRessources, the company that pioneered the krill oil market. So you should be looking for a krill oil that contains at least the levels of ingredients that were used in the clinical trials. According to Neptune’s certificates of analysis from those days, the components of krill oil (particularly omega-3s, phospholipids and astaxanthin) were in these proportions:
Omega-3s – 25 percent (250mg per 1,000mg of krill oil; five eighths EPA and three eighths DHA)
Phospholipids – 40 percent (400mg per 1,000mg of krill oil)
These studies have shown the initial promise of krill oil as a supplement with significant benefits for humans. As more research on krill oil becomes available, we will be able to describe the benefits of krill oil supplements at different concentrations of phospholipid, different dosages, and different formulations (added astaxanthin, EPA, DHA, choline, vitamin D, and many others.)
Krill oil is being marketed in several types of delivery systems and packaging. Major retail brands you're likely to encounter include Mercola, Schiff Mega Red and Neptune (NKO).
Most krill oil comes in a small gelatin capsule, while some comes in something called a caplique. Typical dosage forms are 300 mg and 500 mg. Capsules larger than 500 mg are uncommon for reasons having to do with unique encapsulation features of krill phospholipids.
How much krill oil should I take?
Since the FDA has not established daily recommended allowances for omega-3s, such as those found in krill oil and fish oil, you may want to experiment a little with this. We know people who are taking 8,000mg a day as part of clinical trials and showing no bad effects. On the other hand, we know people who say they are seeing benefits from taking as little as 500mg per day.
So you might want to consider a comparison between dosage and value. For this a little math may be necessary to determine what type of krill oil to buy. For instance, some krill oil comes in a package containing 300mg-size capsules, and will sell for less than a package of krill oil coming in 500mg capsules. However, the total number of milligrams in the 90-count package of 300mg pills adds up to only 27,000mg, whereas the total amount of milligrams in the 60-count package containing 500mg pills adds up to 30,000mg. If you take three of the 300mg pills, you are getting 900mg, whereas if you take two of the 500mg capsules, you’re getting 10 percent more of the krill oil and its benefits.
Another way to think of it is that with the package of 300mg pills, you’re actually getting 10 percent less, thus the lower price. Consumer beware, as they say.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this krill oil forum is a public service of WellWise.org, and should not in any way substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional and is not intended to constitute personal medical advice.
