KRILL OIL: THE MOST POWERFUL OMEGA 3 KNOWN ON EARTH

A diet rich in marine fishes and general seafood has long been recommended by several medical authorities as a long-term nutritional intervention to preserve overall health and wellbeing. An association between consumption of fish and seafood and beneficial effects on a variety of health outcomes has been reported in epidemiologic studies and clinical trials. These effects are mainly attributed to the omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) abundant in fish and seafood, and in particular to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Reports on health benefits have led to increased demand for products containing marine n-3 PUFAs. Since fish is a restricted resource, there is growing interest in exploiting alternative sources of marine n-3 PUFAs. Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is a rich source of n-3 PUFAs. Most of the health benefits provided by frequent seafood consumption come from adequate uptake of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, n-3/n-6 PUFAs, and antioxidants. Optimal n-3/n-6 PUFAs ratios allow efficient inflammatory responses that prevent the initiation and progression of many inflammatory disorders. Moreover, interesting in-vivo and clinical studies with the marine antioxidant carotenoid astaxanthin (present in krill oil) have shown promising results against free radical activity in different diseases. This review presents the state-of-the-art applications of krill oil as a rich source of n-3/n-6 PUFAs and astaxanthin against diseases associated with exacerbated oxidative stress in human body.