Fish Oil and Omega-3s: What's the Latest?
When most people think of omega-3s, they may envision fatty salmon, oily sardines, or the classic fish oil pills that make your burps taste like the bottom of the ocean. And while high-quality fish oil supplements can be beneficial, it’s time to take a look at a newer kid on the omega-3 block: krill oil.
Although omega-3-rich fish oil supplements have been popular for decades, concerns over the presence of mercury or other contaminants and sustainable sourcing have increased. Krill oil (made from the tiny, shrimp-like crustaceans commonly consumed by whales, penguins, and seabirds) may be a more sustainable and healthful alternative because krill are at the bottom of the ocean food chain, making them less likely to accumulate mercury or other contaminants.
Like fish oil, krill oil is also rich in the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, in addition to the free radical scavenger astaxanthin and molecules called phospholipids. Phospholipids (like phosphatidylcholine) are fatty compounds essential for supporting cell membrane integrity, as their unique structure allows them to be readily absorbed and accepted by our cells.
Over the past few decades, research has uncovered the myriad ways that adequate omega-3 consumption supports human health, especially regarding heart and brain function. Now, recent studies from this year have revealed a few more important links between omega-3s and optimal health, including muscle function, biological age, and longevity.
In a 2024 review of randomized controlled trials, researchers concluded that omega-3 fats support muscle maintenance with age by providing anabolic (muscle-building) action, reducing muscle protein breakdown, and aiding mitochondrial health. Omega-3s also modulate neuromuscular transmission—the essential part of muscle contraction controlled by neuron and muscle fiber communications. In various studies in this review, omega-3 supplementation or higher omega-3 blood levels in mid- to later-life adults were linked to increased lower body muscle strength, grip strength, and walking speed.
Another 2024 cross-sectional study examined how dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake was linked to biological age—the internal age of our cells and organs that can differ from our chronological, birthday-based age. This research used “phenotypic age acceleration,” which measured various blood biomarkers associated with aging and longevity. The research team found that people who consumed more omega-3 fats in their diet had significantly slower rates of phenotypic aging—especially in men and people above age 60. However, after consuming 1.1 grams per day of omega-3s, the benefits started to plateau. (This is the amount in less than a couple of ounces of salmon.)
Lastly, a third recent observational study linked blood levels of the omega-3 fat DHA to the risk of dying from any cause. In data from over 117,000 people over 12 years, those with the highest blood DHA levels had a 21% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to people with the lowest DHA.
Overall, the research is constantly growing on the potential benefits of having adequate omega-3 levels as we age. While consuming fatty fish or high-quality fish oil supplements are undoubtedly nutritious ways to get your omega-3s, krill oil is another healthy option to consider.
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Although omega-3-rich fish oil supplements have been popular for decades, concerns over the presence of mercury or other contaminants and sustainable sourcing have increased. Krill oil (made from the tiny, shrimp-like crustaceans commonly consumed by whales, penguins, and seabirds) may be a more sustainable and healthful alternative because krill are at the bottom of the ocean food chain, making them less likely to accumulate mercury or other contaminants.
Like fish oil, krill oil is also rich in the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, in addition to the free radical scavenger astaxanthin and molecules called phospholipids. Phospholipids (like phosphatidylcholine) are fatty compounds essential for supporting cell membrane integrity, as their unique structure allows them to be readily absorbed and accepted by our cells.
Over the past few decades, research has uncovered the myriad ways that adequate omega-3 consumption supports human health, especially regarding heart and brain function. Now, recent studies from this year have revealed a few more important links between omega-3s and optimal health, including muscle function, biological age, and longevity.
In a 2024 review of randomized controlled trials, researchers concluded that omega-3 fats support muscle maintenance with age by providing anabolic (muscle-building) action, reducing muscle protein breakdown, and aiding mitochondrial health. Omega-3s also modulate neuromuscular transmission—the essential part of muscle contraction controlled by neuron and muscle fiber communications. In various studies in this review, omega-3 supplementation or higher omega-3 blood levels in mid- to later-life adults were linked to increased lower body muscle strength, grip strength, and walking speed.
Another 2024 cross-sectional study examined how dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake was linked to biological age—the internal age of our cells and organs that can differ from our chronological, birthday-based age. This research used “phenotypic age acceleration,” which measured various blood biomarkers associated with aging and longevity. The research team found that people who consumed more omega-3 fats in their diet had significantly slower rates of phenotypic aging—especially in men and people above age 60. However, after consuming 1.1 grams per day of omega-3s, the benefits started to plateau. (This is the amount in less than a couple of ounces of salmon.)
Lastly, a third recent observational study linked blood levels of the omega-3 fat DHA to the risk of dying from any cause. In data from over 117,000 people over 12 years, those with the highest blood DHA levels had a 21% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to people with the lowest DHA.
Overall, the research is constantly growing on the potential benefits of having adequate omega-3 levels as we age. While consuming fatty fish or high-quality fish oil supplements are undoubtedly nutritious ways to get your omega-3s, krill oil is another healthy option to consider.
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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.