title: Enhanced increase of omega-3 index in healthy individuals with response to 4-week n-3 fatty acid supplementation from krill oil versus fish oil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to structural differences, bioavailability of krill oil, a phospholipid based oil, could be higher than fish oil, a triglyceride-based oil, conferring properties that render it more effective than fish oil in increasing omega-3 index and thereby, reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to assess the effects of krill oil compared with fish oil or a placebo control on plasma and red blood cell (RBC) fatty acid profile in healthy volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty four healthy volunteers were recruited for a double blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. The study consisted of three treatment phases including krill or fish oil each providing 600 mg of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) or placebo control, corn oil in capsule form. Each treatment lasted 4 wk and was separated by 8 wk washout phases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Krill oil consumption increased plasma (p = 0.0043) and RBC (p = 0.0011) n-3 PUFA concentrations, including EPA and DHA, and reduced n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios (plasma: p = 0.0043, RBC: p = 0.0143) compared with fish oil consumption. Sum of EPA and DHA concentrations in RBC, the omega-3 index, was increased following krill oil supplementation compared with fish oil (p = 0.0143) and control (p < 0.0001). Serum triglycerides and HDL cholesterol concentrations did not change with any of the treatments. However, total and LDL cholesterol concentrations were increased following krill (TC: p = 0.0067, LDL: p = 0.0143) and fish oil supplementation (TC: p = 0.0028, LDL: p = 0.0143) compared with control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consumption of krill oil was well tolerated with no adverse events. Results indicate that krill oil could be more effective than fish oil in increasing n-3 PUFA, reducing n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio, and improving the omega-3 index.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01323036.
authors.forename: Vanu R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Ramprasath
authors.forename: Inbal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Eyal
authors.forename: Sigalit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zchut
authors.affiliation: Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, Winnipeg, Canada. peter_jones@umanitoba.ca.
authors.forename: Peter J H
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003314:Corn Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood; D033201:Euphausiacea / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005395:Fish Oils; D014280:Triglycerides; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D003314:Corn Oil; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid