Krill oil is oil from Antarctic krill, small shrimp-like crustaceans. Like fish oil, it is taken as a source of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, but in krill oil most of them are bound to phospholipids rather than in triglyceride form.
Also known as: Antarctic krill oil, Euphausia superba.
There is no intake value for EPA or DHA in the US. ODS says no upper limit was set for omega-3s, and that FDA has concluded supplements providing no more than 5 g a day of EPA and DHA combined are safe when used as recommended. Check the label for the EPA and DHA per serving, not just the total krill oil.
It is sold in the US as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling.
ODS says krill oil contains omega-3s mainly as phospholipids, and some studies suggest these are absorbed somewhat better than the omega-3s in fish oil while others do not. The research on omega-3 supplements and heart health is mostly on fish oil and prescription omega-3s.
Safety, per ODS: high doses of EPA and DHA might affect immune function and increase bleeding time; fish oil might raise INR when taken with warfarin, though most research found 3 to 6 g a day of fish oil did not significantly change anticoagulation; and two large trials found 4 g a day of omega-3s for several years slightly raised the risk of atrial fibrillation in people with or at high risk of heart disease. Krill are crustaceans, and FDA lists crustacean shellfish as a major food allergen, so people with a shellfish allergy should ask their clinician first.
We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for krill oil that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. Studies of krill oil compare blood EPA and DHA levels with fish oil rather than reporting a half-life (ODS).
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