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Willner Chemists: The Nutritional Supplement Professionals
Krill Oil, Circulation & Cholesterol
This is one of many studies that seem to
show krill oil having the same benefits as
fish oil. It has been suggested that because
the omega 3 fatty acids in krill oil are
bound to phospholipids, it has better
bioavailability. Although a limited number
of studies comparing the effects of krill oil
and fish oil on the omega-3 index have
suggested greater increases with krill oil,
newer data show mixed results.
Another benefit of krill oil is it contains
the naturally occurring carotenoid astaxan-
thin, a powerful anti-oxidant. As this study
shows, because of the additional benefits of
the phospholipids and astaxanthin, krill oil
may have benefits beyond that of fish oil
but more studies are needed. The size of
krill oil softgels is markedly smaller and may
be more suitable for individuals with swal-
lowing difficulties.
The downside of krill oil is the cost. It
would take four to six krill oil capsules to
equal one concentrated fish oil capsule. In
the mean time, if you want to take krill oil
the average krill oil supplement has about
95mg EPA-DHA per softgel, so you would
need 4 or 5 krill oil gels to get 430mg of
EPA-DHA.
Here’s a sample of krill oil supplements
we carry at Willner Chemists:
Krill Oil (Jarrow)
60 Softgels - Product Code: 42728
Krill Oil 500mg (Daiwa Health)
60 Softgels - Product Code: 65668
Neptune Krill Oil 1000 DS (Now Foods)
60 Softgels - Product Code: 61160
Additional Comments from Sam Forbes, CN
I
n this two-part study, doctors wanted to test
the effects of krill oil omega-3 on circulation
and cholesterol. In part one, 47 men and
women with type 2 diabetes, average age 65,
took a placebo or two krill oil capsules
containing 1,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids
per day for four weeks. About three in four
participants also had high blood pressure or
imbalanced lipids.
After four weeks, while the placebo group
had not changed, circulation had improved in
the krill oil group, which saw an increase in
the ability of blood vessels to relax and dilate.
A smaller group of 34 continued in the
second part of the study, taking krill oil for 17
more weeks. HDL, the good cholesterol,
increased on average to 49.09 milligrams per
deciliter (mg/dL) of blood from 43.48 mg/dL.
HDL protects against circulatory diseases,
particularly at levels above 60 mg/dL.
Reference: BMJ Open Diabetes Research and
Care; 2015, Vol. 3, e000107, Published
Online
Nutrients Protect Against Heart
and Circulatory Diseases
Magnesium and Artery
Calcification
C
alcium can build up on artery walls,
raising chances for heart disease, high
blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. Earlier
studies found a link between low levels of
magnesium and calcium buildup in coronary
arteries in those with chronic kidney disease,
but doctors wanted to know more about
magnesium and calcium buildup in healthy
people.
In this study, doctors measured magnesium
levels in 1,276 men and women who were
free from symptoms of cardiovascular
disease. Compared to those with the lowest
levels, those with the highest circulating levels
of magnesium were 48 percent less likely to
have high blood pressure, 69 percent less
likely to have type 2 diabetes, and 42
percent less likely to have calcium buildup in
coronary arteries.
Reference: Nutrition Journal; 2016, Vol. 15,
No. 22, Published Online
Vitamin B12, Omega-3,
and Inflammation
C
hronic inflammation is a factor in heart
and circulatory diseases. In this study, 30
healthy men and women, aged 23 to 25,
took 1,000 mg of vitamin B12 alone, 490 mg
of DHA plus 98 mg of EPA alone, or the
vitamin B12 and omega-3s together.
After eight weeks, all three groups saw a
decrease in two important inflammatory
factors—homocysteine and C-reactive
protein—with those taking the combination
of vitamin B12 and omega-3s seeing the most
benefit.
Doctors said these two inflammatory
factors are important; homocysteine because
high levels can be an early signal of heart and
circulatory disease, and C-reactive protein
because elevated levels are a sign of systemic
inflammation. Doctors concluded that
vitamin B12 and omega-3s reduce
inflammation in healthy young people.
Reference: Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical
Nutrition; 2015, Vol. 24, No. 3, 403-11
