Krill Oil vs Fish Oil: What’s the Difference?

Do you take fish oil as a part of your daily regimen?  Whether you discovered the benefits of fish oil on your own or your doctor recommended it to you, improving your bone and joint health is most likely one of your top health priorities.

Let’s take a closer look at how fish oil compares to krill oil. We think you’ll be surprised!

 

Krill Oil vs Fish Oil

The main thing they have in common is the type of healthy fats they contain: the omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA. These polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential, meaning we must obtain them through our diets because our bodies are unable to synthesize them.

 

What is the difference between Krill Oil and Fish Oil?

Research shows that significant differences do exist between krill oil and fish oil despite the fact that their main nutrients are so similar.

Krill oil tends to have more EPA than fish oil, but overall, fish oil tends to include higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids — in fact, it has close to twice as much.

So why is krill oil considered better if fish oil has more omega-3 fatty acids?

The source of certain nutrients can affect how well your body absorbs them! This phenomenon is called bioavailability.

 

Bioavailability of a nutrient is key!

Sometimes more doesn’t equate to better results.

If nutrients don’t have high bioavailability–that is, they aren’t highly available to your cells–your body won’t utilize them as optimally as possible and instead pass through your waste system.

This concept applies to omega-3 fatty acids: the body absorbs and utilizes them better when the source is krill oil.

The reason for increased bioavailability has to do with the different molecular structures of the different oils. The omega-3’s in fish oil attach to triglycerides whereas the omega-3’s in krill oil attach to phospholipids.

One way of visualizing this is using a bobby pin to pick a lock versus using a key; both can unlock the door, one just is a lot more efficient than the other. In our case, our cells’ walls are made up of a double layer of phospholipids, so it’s a lot easier for EPA and DHA to enter when they’re attached to phospholipids as opposed to triglycerides.

 

But wait, there’s more!

We can’t speak for all krill oil’s out there, but Artic Flex’s other added benefits include:

• Astaxanthin – the little-known, but powerfully potent antioxidant that has demonstrated to decrease oxidative stress
• Zinc – a mineral that plays a role in the growth and maintenance of bone, cartilage, tendon and ligament health
• Vitamin D3 – an essential vitamin that has antioxidant properties and helps support bone and joint health
• Strontium – another mineral that functions in keeping bones strong
• No fishy burps! While these are a common complaint of fish oil supplements…they aren’t with krill oil!
• Smaller capsule size. Due to krill oil’s high bioavailability, krill oil capsules don’t need to be so large to get you the proper amount of omega-3 fatty acids.

 

What you can do next

If you’ve felt like your joints don’t move as fluidly as they used to, improving the health of your bones and joints may be the tune-up you need.  Check with your doctor to see if Artic Flex krill oil is a good supplement to add to your daily routine.

For more information on the topics we’ve mentioned above—like astaxanthin, zinc, strontium, vitamin D and more—check out our list of articles! You can also subscribe below to our blog to be the first to know and keep learning helpful bone and joint tips as soon as they are released.