What's the Buzz About Krill?

Krill are tiny shrimp-like crustaceans that feed on plants in the ocean. Baleen whales, mantas, and whale sharks eat primarily krill. In Norwegian, the word "krill" means "whale food." People extract the oil from krill, place it in capsules, and use it for medicine. Some brand name krill oil products indicate that they use Antarctic krill. This usually refers to the species of krill called Euphausia superba.

Recently krill has been discovered to have some of the same potential benefits to human health as fish oil. Krill oil contains fatty acids similar to fish oil. These fats are thought to be beneficial fats that decrease swelling, lower cholesterol, and make blood platelets less sticky. When blood platelets are less sticky they are less likely to form clots.  It is being promoted and used for heart disease, high levels of certain blood fats (triglycerides), high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, osteoarthritis, depression, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and painful menstrual periods.

However at this point there is insufficient evidence that krill is effective for any of these conditions.  More scientific studies and evidence are needed. WebMd had a special precautions and warnings regarding krill:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of krill oil during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.


Additionally there can be an environmental issue with krill harvesting, as the National Geographic has reported that krill stocks have dropped an alarming 70%.  The reason for this is not known, but since it is an important source of food for so much marine life, it may be unwise to begin large-scale harvesting of krill for human consumption.

At this point the science points toward fish oil or for vegetarians, flax seed oil.