Problems With Krill Oil

Krill oil was patented in 2003 by a Canadian company, Neptune Technologies and Bioressources Inc. Krill oil contains DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), both of which are omega-3 fatty acids. Proponents of krill oil say it fights heart disease, diabetes, macular degeneration, inflammation and infections.

Inadequate Information

• The main problem with krill oil is simply that enough information isn't known about it. Unlike other sources of omega-3s, such as fish oil and flaxseed, which have more extensive track records, krill oil hasn't been on the market long enough to generate definitive studies.

Faulty Scientific Studies

• The studies that have been completed and that tout krill oil's benefits were conducted by entities with a monetary interest in seeing krill oil sales rise. No studies completed by disinterested parties have found that krill oil prevents heart disease or that it is better than fish oil.

Drug Interactions

• Krill oil may interact with certain medications, so be sure to ask your doctor about taking krill oil if you are already on medications. In particular, it may negatively interact with blood-thinners, such as warfarin, and over-the-counter pain medications, such as Motrin and Advil.

Side Effects and Allergies

• Krill oil has been known to cause diarrhea and loose stools. It can also cause indigestion. Because krill are crustaceans, do not take krill oil if you have a shellfish allergy.

Alternatives to Krill Oil

• Alternative sources of omega-3 fatty acids are fish oil and flaxseed oil. Fish oil has a high amount of the triglyceride form of DHA that the human body easily converts for use in cell membranes. Krill oil also contains DHA, however, you would need to consume more krill oil supplements than fish oil supplements to attain a therapeutic dose of DHA, making fish oil a more economical choice.