Krill oil vs other fish oils

[Tesscorm]

I usually purchase Neptune krill oil for my son. But, at the health food store today, the saleswoman really tried to convince me that I should be giving him sardine or anchovy oil. Her reasons were that mercury levels were low in both sardine and anchovy oil and they provided more EPA and DHA than the Krill oil.

Does anyone have any thoughts? I've tried researching a bit but am having a hard time finding research specifically on sardine/anchovy oil.

To confuse me more, I did find that xtendlife fish oil (made of tuna and hoki) seem to have much more Omega 3, EPA and DHA than the Krill oil I usually buy.

I've listed the ingredients below but feel I just don't know enough about this to make a truly educated decision???

Any thoughts? Thanks!


Xtendlife ingredients:

Fish Oil 2000 mg **
(a proprietary blend of tuna oil and hoki (NZ whiting) oil)
Total Omega 3 Fatty Acids 1000 mg **
(from the proprietary fish oil blend)
DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) 600 mg **
EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) 260 mg **
DPA (Docosapentaenoic acid) 64 mg **
Total Omega 6 Fatty Acids 120 mg **
Total Omega 9 Fatty Acids 360 mg **

Neptune Krill Oil ingredients:

Typical Profile of naturally occurring nutrients (per serving):
Omega-3 Fatty Acids 230-300 mg *
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) 140-160 mg *
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) 80-90 mg *
Omega-6 Fatty Acids 10-20 mg *
Omega-9 Fatty Acids 60-80 mg *
Phospholipids 390-420 mg *
Esterified Astaxanthin 1.0-1.5 mg *
*Daily Value Not Established

 

[David]

Interesting question. We always talk about the omega fatty acids in these things but I wonder about the "other stuff" as well. While we had a decent discussion on krill oil here I must say I'm also a big fan of sardines which are indeed low in heavy metals though I'm guessing krill is lower.

Anyway, I notice the xtendalife is 2000mg for those numbers. What's the dose on the krill oil?

*edit* I got off my butt and walked to the kitchen as I take Neptune Krill Oil. Those numbers are for 500mg. So unless I'm missing something, we need to multiple the bottom numbers by 4 in which case they're superior to the sardine oil.

 

[Tesscorm]

The krill oil is 1000 mg.

 

[Tesscorm]

David, the xtendlife fish oil is not sardine or anchovy, it's tuna and hoki. I only came across it as I was trying to research the sardine or anchovy but its much higher omega 3, EPA and DHA levels got me wondering! With tuna and hoki, I'm not sure of the mercury levels.

 

[David]

Oops, you're right! Damn, gotta be careful! Serving size is two of them

So double the bottom numbers. In that case, on strict N3 fatty acids the sardine is better. Krill has a bit better n3 to n6 ratio but both are excellent.

I don't know enough about the other stuff to comment, sorry

*edit* ^^^^^^ Oh, sorry about that. The only "Sardine oil" I could find is for dogs and cats. Heheh. I personally wouldn't do tuna oil due to mercury and other contaminants.

 

[David]

If you do find info on sardine oil, please let us know. I'm intrigued

 

[Tesscorm]

I'll try to find some info tomorrow... but, yes, the only sardine oil I found was for pets as well! :lol: I'll have to go back to the store and get the brand name...

 

[Tesscorm]

Hi David,

The sardine/anchovy oil is sold by Ascenta / NutraSea. It is available in either gel or liquid form.

From the site:
NutraSea hp is beneficial for cardiovascular health, brain function, and joints and mobility.**

Ingredients
fish oil (anchovies, sardines, mackerel), all natural flavouring, natural tocopherols (derived from non-GMO soy), green tea extract.

I can't copy/paste the nutritional label. but here is the link http://www.ascentahealth.com/products/human/nutrasea-hp



I'm a little nervous about this because the Omega 3, EPA and DHA are much, much higher than the krill oil I usually give Stephen - may be a good thing! but, could it be too much??? Or am I just reading the labels wrong??

NOW Krill (2 capsules) provides:
(link to NOW krill nutritional label) http://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-71237...erralID=56bc6139-0f13-11e2-8751-001b2166c2c0&

Omega 3 - 460-300 mg
EPA - 280-320 mg
DHA - 160-180 mg

NutraSea, 5 ml liquid provides:

Omega 3 - 2300 mg
EPA - 1500 mg
DHA - 500 mg


Is there a reason why there would be such a big difference? Is it safe for Stephen to take such high levels?

Would really appreciate your (and any other!) thoughts!

Thanks

 

[David]

The first thing we need to look at is serving size. We know the krill oil is 1000mg. Looking at the capsule form of the sardine oil, am I reading that correctly that their serving size is 4700mg?

And I'd be REAL curious what percentage of the oil is from mackerel which is NOT bottom of the food chain.

 

[D Bergy]

From what i have read in the past, Krill Oil is higher in antioxidents, and that also helps keep it from getting rancid. Fish Oil does not have as long of a shelf life, and that is one reason I use Krill Oil. I have had rancid Fish Oil before, and I did not like the after taste, plus it is not doing the job if it is rancid.

I guess the point of the whole thing is to get the balance of Omega 3 and 6 in line. Either will do the job. Just make sure the Fish oil is not old.

Dan

 

[D Bergy]

I posted this in another thread, but it seems to be good info so I will copy it here also. There is a warning on who should not take Krill Oil at the bottom of the post

This is Dr. Mercola's take on Krill oil vs Fish Oil.

I prefer krill oil compared to all other animal-based omega-3's because while the metabolic effects of krill oil and fish oil are "essentially similar," krill oil is as effective as fish oil despite the fact that it contains less EPA and DHA.8 This is because krill oil is absorbed up to 10-15 times as well as fish oil due to its molecular composition (Its EPA and DHA fatty acid chains are phospholipid bound), and is less prone to oxidation (rancidity) because it is naturally complexed with the potent fat-soluble antioxidant astaxanthin.

Fish oil is in a triglyceride molecule that has to be broken down in your gut to its base fatty acids of DHA and EPA. About 80-85 percent is never absorbed and is eliminated in your intestine (this is why fish oil can cause you to experience burp back and why about half of all people cannot tolerate fish oil). Then once the fatty acids are absorbed into your bloodstream, your liver has to attach it to phoshphatidyl choline for it to be used by your body.

The beauty of krill is that all of it is in the correct form in the original pill, so your body uses virtually 100 percent of it. As a result, most people only need two to three 500-mg capsules of krill oil per day (each capsule typically contains about 50 mg of DHA and 90 mg of EPA) to support optimal brain, and overall, health.

WARNING: If you are allergic to shellfish, have a blood coagulation disorder, or are taking anticoagulants such as Warfarin (Coumadin), do not use Krill Oil. Also, Krill Oil is very stable and will last up to 2 years. However, do not store it in the freezer or refrigerator; extended exposure to temperatures higher than 100 degrees or lower than 50 degrees diminish effectiveness of the phosopholipid ingredients.


Dan

 

[D Bergy]

I also can personally vouch for the blood thinning effect of Krill Oil, although I also take other supplements that tend to slightly thin the blood.

After my last surgery, my doctor asked my wife if I take a daily Aspirin while I was in the recovery room. She said that I did not. She explained to me that the surgeon wondered why I was seeping blood everywhere he stitched me up inside. Not a dangerous amount, but it was not typically what he experienced.

I had quit taking all of my supplements three or four days before surgery because I was aware of this effect. It was not long enough to totally eliminate the thinning effect.

Something else to consider if surgery comes up.

Dan