Evaluation of the effects of Neptune krill oil on the clinical course of hyperlipidemia

Alternative Medicine Review, Dec, 2004 by Ruxandra Bunea, Khassan El Farrah, Luisa Deutsch

An analogous effect on LDL levels was observed in all groups. Krill oil at a daily dose of 1 g, 1.5 g, 2 g, or 3 g achieved significant reductions of LDL of 32, 36, 37, and 39 percent, respectively (p=0.000). Baseline levels were decreased in the krill oil 1-g/day group from 168 mg/dL to 114 mg/dL, in the 1.5-g/day group from 165 mg/dL to 106 mg/dL, and in the 2- and 3-g/ day groups from 183 mg/dL and 173 mg/dL to 114 mg/dL and 105 mg/dL, respectively. The laboratory results of patients treated daily with 3 g fish oil did not achieve a significant reduction in LDL (4.6%), with blood levels decreased from 122 mg/dL at baseline to 118 mg/dL (p=0.141) after 12 weeks. Patients receiving placebo showed a negative effect, with a 13-percent increase in LDL levels, from 137 mg/dL to 154 mg/ dL (p=0.000).

HDL was significantly increased in all patients receiving krill oil (p=0.000) or fish oil (p=0.002). HDL levels increased from 57.2 mg/dL to 82.4 mg/dL (44% change) at krill oil 1 g/day; 58.8 mg/dL to 83.9 mg/dL (43% increase) for krill oil 1.5 g/day; 51 mg/dL to 79.3 mg/dL (55% increase) at krill oil 2 g/day; and from 64.2 mg/dL to 102.5 mg/dL (59% increase) at a daily krill oil dose of 3 g. Fish oil taken at 3 g/day increased HDL from 56.6 mg/dL to 59.03 mg/dL (4.2% increase). No significant decrease of HDL (p=0.850) was observed within the placebo group, with levels of HDL remaining almost stable, 56.8 mg/dL to 56.7 mg/dL.

Krill oil taken 1 g/day reduced blood triglycerides by a non-significant 11 percent, from 120.5 mg/dL to 107.2 mg/dL (p=0.114). A daily dose of 1.5 g krill oil resulted in a non-significant 11.9-percent reduction of triglycerides, from 122.7 mg/dL to 112 mg/dL (p=0.113). Subjects achieved a significant reduction of triglycerides at daily doses of 2 g and 3 g daily krill oil - 28 percent (p=0.025) and 27 percent (p=0.0228)--decreasing from baseline levels of 160.4 mg/dL and 152.8 mg/dL to 116.1 mg/dL and 112.3 mg/dL, respectively. Fish oil at 3 g/day did not achieve a significant reduction of triglycerides (3.2%), decreasing from 140.9 mg/dL to 136.4 mg/dL (p=0.239). Interestingly patients in the placebo group experienced a 9.8-percent decrease in triglycerides (p=0.215).

Blood glucose levels were reduced by 6.3 percent, from 105 mg/dL to 98 mg/dL (p=0.025), in patients receiving 1 g and 1.5 g krill oil daily, and 5.6 percent, from 92 mg/dL to 88 mg/dL (p=0.011), in those receiving 2 g and 3 g krill oil daily. A daily dose of 3 g fish oil reduced blood glucose by 3.3 percent, from 90 mg/dL to 87 mg/ dL (p=0.275). Placebo treatment resulted in a non-significant blood glucose increase of 0.1 percent, from 92 mg/dL to 93 mg/dL (p=0.750).

The between-group comparison showed 1 g and 1.5 g krill oil daily was significantly more effective than 3 g fish oil in reducing glucose and LDL, whereas 2 g and 3 g krill oil demonstrated a significantly greater reduction of glucose, triglycerides, and LDL compared to 3 g fish oil. Both fish oil and krill oil performed significantly better than placebo for the regulation of glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and HDL.