Krill oil: great effectiveness against obesity

Omega-3 fatty acids (of the EPA and DHA types) contained inkrill oil are useful remedies for obesity. This is proven by research conducted by an international team consisting of scientists from Italy, the United States, Norway and Finland.

These properties are responsible for stabilizing the metabolic mechanism of obese individuals, counteracting abnormalities and imperfections that lead to this status. They could replace other therapies in controlling the endocannabinoid system against metabolic syndrome.

Benefits of krill oil: acting on endocannabinoids

Krill is a collection of small marine organisms known for their high content of Omega-3s and antioxidants. In fact, the latter are present in levels 48 times higher than found in other commercially available fish oils. According to the study authors, taking krill oil on a daily basis benefits the endocannabinoid system, consisting of lipid molecules and cellular receptors that act in the nervous system by regulating appetite, pain sensation, mood and memory. And it is the same experts in the field who point out that helping normalize endocannabinoid levels in obese patients could help counteract some of the health problems that show up in the long term, such as metabolic syndrome. To reach this conclusion, the researchers recruited 63 overweight or obese subjects aged 35 to 64 years who were asked to take two grams per day of krill oil -- corresponding to 309 mg per day of EPA and DHA in a 2:1 ratio --, fish oil -- so-called "menhaden oil," corresponding to 390 mg per day of EPA and DHA in a 1:1 ratio -- or olive oil for four weeks. Only in obese subjects taking krill oil was a significant reduction in the levels of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), an endocannabinoid that accumulates in the plasma of obese people, observed. According to the authors, one possible explanation for the different effect obtained with krill oil andfish oil could be increased incorporation of omega-3 fatty acids into the lipids that make up the adipose tissue associated with the viscera. This would lead to a decrease in arachidonic acid following krill oil intake, resulting in a change in endocannabinoid synthesis.

Confirmations of a known effectiveness

The beneficial effects of krill oil found in this study confirm what researchers at the University of Cagliari had observed in studies conducted on obese rats. According to the authors of the new research, the next step will be to test whether long-term dietary modifications and higher krill oil levels are able to reduce metabolic syndrome parameters. This would make krill oil intake a viable alternative to current therapies that target the endocannabinoid system.  

Source 

1. Banni S, Carta G, Murru E, Cordeddu L, Giordano E, Sirigu AR, Berge K, Vik H, Maki KC, Di Marzo V, Griinari M, "Krill oil significantly decreases 2-arachidonoylglycerol plasma levels in obese subjects," Nutr Metab (Lond). 2011 Jan 30;8(1):7 2. Batetta B, Griinari M, Carta G, Murru E, Ligresti A, Cordeddu L, Giordano E, Sanna F, Bisogno T, Uda S, Collu M, Bruheim I, Di Marzo V, Banni S, "Endocannabinoids may mediate the ability of (n-3) fatty acids to reduce ectopic fat and inflammatory mediators in obese Zucker rats," J Nutr. 2009 Aug;139(8):1495-501