Krill Oil vs. Regular Fish Oil – Which Is Better?

You probably know about the many benefits of fish oil for your health, but you may have also heard some hype about a special type of fish oil – krill oil. But is it really better for you, and is it worth the higher price?

You may know that the Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils are very important for your health. They help keep your body healthy, from your heart, to your brain, blood sugar, joints, immune system, and more.

However, unfortunately many fish are now tainted with mercury from polluted ocean waters, so be sure when purchasing fish oil that you find a source you can trust, and make sure it is labeled “99.99% pure.”

Krill oil comes from a specific type of fish, and some say that it is more pure, and provides more of a specific type of antioxidant than other fish oils do.

Here’s an article to help clear up some of the hype, and help you decide whether krill oil is right for you:

As far as I can tell, there are four big reasons why people opt for krill instead of fish (or cod liver) oil.

First off, krill oil contains a decent dose of the antioxidant astaxanthin. So some natural medicine practitioners say you don’t need the added vitamin E and selenium when you take krill. But I disagree. Even if you opt for krill oil, you should still take a natural mixed tocopherols-type vitamin E along with it.

Secondly, some people like taking krill better. There’s less of a fishy aftertaste. (This isn’t a huge problem in my book, especially if you take your fish oil before meals. But I know that trick doesn’t work for everyone. And some people don’t like to belch fish.)

Thirdly, sometimes people take krill because they want a “more pure” product. You see, fishermen catch krill in the deepest, darkest waters of Antarctica. So some people believe this pretty much guarantees that your krill oil won’t contain any pollutants or heavy metals. (But as I said earlier, I wouldn’t worry about it too much if you find a major brand of fish oil that says 99.99 percent pure on the bottle.)

The last benefit to taking krill has to do with the environment. You may have seen the recent TIME magazine article about fish oil. Apparently, the market for fish oil supplements has skyrocketed to $1 billion since 1996. As a result, some environmentalists say we’re putting certain types of fish at risk.

Scientists have seen declining numbers of one type of fish used primarily for their oil, called menhaden. These fish eat algae in the ocean. But when menhaden levels drop off, algae grow out of control. This depletes oxygen in the ocean and—according to some environmentalists—upsets the ocean’s ecosystem.

From this point of view, krill’s a great option. It’s a “sustainable” or “renewable” form of fish, which means even if everyone on your street starts taking krill; the fish won’t disappear off the planet.

For more information on the pros and cons of krill oil, visit HealthierTalk.com.