Well, as it turns out, my triglycerides suck. My father had enviable genetics, which I have been coasting on, but a crappy diet and no regular exercise can overcome even that advantage. Plus, I only got half my genes from him.
So, improving my diet and starting to work out, but Doc also recommends Omega-3s. I’m taking fish oil capsules, which are much cheaper than the krill. I’ve not noticed any fishy taste or odor, so that’s not an issue. But, I’m wondering if I should try the krill oil.
I certainly can afford the difference. But, what am I paying for? The advertising speaks to the offensive odor/taste of fish. But, I haven’t noticed this. Perusing through the drug store, the packaging mentions phospholipid levels in krill that augment its uptake over that of fish oil Omega-3s. But, the asterisk on that statement notes that it has not been vetted by the FDA.
What say you, Teeming Millions? Has krill oil been demonstrated to have health effects superior to fish oil? Is it worth the extra cost? Will I have an urge to breach and sing mysterious songs a la humpback whales?
Just keep in mind that evidence that taking fish oil supplements may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events other than Coronary Heart Disease death and sudden cardiac death is limited. Several more recent randomized trials have failed to demonstrate significant effects, although a meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials demonstrated modest reductions in CHD mortality.
Best outcomes are found from people getting their fish oil by eating more oily fish, not swallowing fish oil capsules.
And there’s really not much clinically relevant data on krill oil and CHD mortality out there.
BTW my source is UpToDate.com, the subscription medical clearing house of practice recommendations and the scientific data behind those recommendations, along with the relative strength of the data.
QtM, but if his TGs are over 500 the issue is less cardiovascular than preventing pancreatitis, right?
(Not disagreeing with your points, especially that fatty fish and all that jazz is more likely helpful than supplemental fish or krill oil, just asking for clarification. Cardiovascular is not the only potential issue.)
Fibrates are usually considered first in folks with trigs over 500, but fish oil is used too. Even so, per UpToDate, there’s only limited data regarding which patients with hypertriglyceridemia require treatment and on the choice of therapies.
